NR AFUF
AU Ingrosso,L.; Vetrugno,V.; Cardone,F.; Pocchiari,M.
TI Molecular diagnostics of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
QU Trends in Molecular Medicine 2002 Jun; 8(6): 273-80
PT journal article; review; review, tutorial
AB Clinical criteria for the diagnosis of sporadic, iatrogenic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases are now available and show an excellent sensitivity and specificity ( approximately 98%). Post-mortem diagnosis, based upon the identification in the brain of the pathological conformer of the prion protein (PrPsc), is also very accurate, and several diagnostic kits are now available that facilitate the immunochemical measurement of PrPsc. Several new molecular diagnostic techniques aimed at increasing the sensitivity and specificity of PrPsc detection, and at identifying markers of disease that are other than PrPsc, are the subject of ongoing studies. The aim of these studies is to develop preclinical screening tests for the identification of infected, but still healthy, individuals. These tests are also badly needed to check the safety of blood or blood-derived products, and to ensure meat safety in European countries.
ZR 66
MH Animal; Biological Markers/analysis; Genetic Markers; Human; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/*methods; PrPsc Proteins/*analysis/metabolism; Prion Diseases/*diagnosis/genetics/metabolism/pathology; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
AD Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
SP englisch
PO England