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Volume 13, Number 6—June 2007
Research

Levels of Abnormal Prion Protein in Deer and Elk with Chronic Wasting Disease

Brent L. Race*, Kimberly D. Meade-White*, Anne Ward*, Jean Jewell†, Michael W. Miller‡, Elizabeth S. Williams†1, Bruce Chesebro*, and Richard E. Race*Comments to Author 

Author affiliations: *Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, Montana, USA; †University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA; ‡Colorado Division of Wildlife, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA;

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Table 2

Comparison of PrPres tissue distribution in TSE-affected ruminants*†

Species (condition) Brain Spleen Nodes Tonsil Natural transmission
Elk (CWD) 10/10 2/10 5/10 4/9 Low
Mule deer (CWD) 12/12 2/10 12/12 9/10 High
White-tailed deer (CWD) 3/3 1/3 3/3 2/3 High
Sheep‡ (scrapie) 8/8 7/8 6/8 Yes High
Cattle (BSE)§ 6/6 Neg Neg Neg No

*PrPres, disease-associated prion protein; TSE, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy; CWD, chronic wasting disease; BSE, bovine spongiform encephalopathy; Neg, negative.
†Distribution of PrPres or infectivity in peripheral tissues of TSE affected ruminants was compared. Data for deer and elk were determined in the study presented here. Data for sheep are from an earlier publication (30) as are the data for cattle (14,15)
‡Data from (30).
§Data from (14).

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