NR AUTS
AU Elliott,E.J.; MacAuley,C.; D'Addio,V.; Rohwer,R.G.
TI Transfusion via the carotid artery in the hamster
QU Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science / American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 2005 Nov; 44(6): 28-30
PT journal article
AB Public health policy makers need quantitative scientific data to assess the risk to the blood supply posed by transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) diseases. To this end, our laboratory has developed a model of blood-borne TSE infectivity in hamsters infected with the 263K strain of scrapie, an experimental model of choice for quantitative studies of TSE infectivity. We report here a microsurgical method for cannulation of the carotid artery in the hamster that allows transfusion of a large fraction of the blood volume of the hamster, with virtually no blood loss to the surgical site or exposure to nervous tissue. Animals are minimally affected by the surgery, recover quickly and completely, and survive for their natural lives (as long as 3 years). This procedure has been used to obtain quantitative data on the transmissibility of the TSEs by transfusion, and these findings have informed public health policy on blood donation and blood use.
MH Animals; Animals, Laboratory/*surgery; Blood Transfusion/*methods; Carotid Arteries/*surgery; Comparative Study; Cricetinae; Prion Diseases/blood/*transmission; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
AD Research Service, VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
SP englisch
PO USA