NR AEFG
AU Fraser,J.R.; Foster,J.D.; Fraser,H.
TI Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Scrapie can be transmitted to mice by instillation of inoculum into the conjunctiva.
QU British Medical Journal 1996 Jan 20; 312(7024): 181
KZ BMJ. 1995 Nov 25;311(7017):1415-21. PMID: 8520279
PT comment; letter
VT
EDITOR, - None of the articles discussing the possible routes of transmission of spongiform encephalopathies cite a particular piece of evidence.[i] In 1993 the three of us showed that scrapie can be successfully transmitted to mice merely by instillation of inoculum into the conjunctiva.[ii] Around a quarter of mice infected with either the ME7 or the 79A strain of scrapie developed the disease. The incidence and incubation period for the mice infected with the ME7 strain were similar to those shown for oral infection, although the lesion profile (the pattern and intensity of the vacuolar pathology in the brain) was higher for the group infected orally. We pointed out that, apart from oral infection, this is the only recognised non-invasive route of infection for these diseases, and we concluded that "these results demonstrate the necessity for adequate eye protection when handling tissues infected with spongiform encephalopathies. "
In view of the current concern over Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, this work should not be overlooked.
JANET R FRASER Senior research scientist
JAMES D FOSTER Research scientist
HUGH FRASER Consultant neuropathologist
Institute for Animal Health Biological and Biotechnological Scientific Research Council MRC Neuropathogenesis Unit Edinburgh EH9 3JF
i. Almond JW, Brown P, Gore SM, Hofman A, Wientjens DPWM, Ridley RM, et al. Will bovine spongiform encephalopathy transmit to humans? BMJ 1995;311:1415-21 (25 November.)
ii. Scott JR, Foster JD, Fraser H. Conjunctival instillation of scrapie in mice can produce disease. Vet Microbiol 1993;34 305-9
ZR 2
MH Animal; Cattle; Mice; Scrapie/*transmission
AD Janet R. Fraser (janet.fraser@bbsrc.ac.uk), James D. Foster (jim.foster@bbsrc.ac.uk), Hugh Fraser (HughFraser@bbsrc.ac.uk), Institute for Animal Health, BBSRC and MRC, Neuropathogenesis Unit, Ogston Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JF, Scotland, UK
SP englisch
PO England
OR Prion-Krankheiten 3