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Volume 31, Number 12—December 2025

Dispatch

Abnormal Prion Protein in Nasal Swab Specimens of Macaques Infected with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Juraj Cervenak, Oksana Yakovleva, Cyrus Bett, Teresa Pilant, Kelly Rice, Lewis Shankle1, David M. Asher1, Luisa GregoriComments to Author , and Pedro Piccardo
Author affiliation: US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA (J. Cervenak, O. Yakovleva, C. Bett, T. Pilant, K. Rice, L. Shankle, D.M. Asher, L. Gregori, P. Piccardo); Unidad Académica de Neuropediátria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay (P. Piccardo)

Main Article

Table 1

Summary of data from study of abnormal prion protein in nasal swab specimens of macaques infected with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease*

Donor macaque ID Recipient macaque ID Transfused sample Clinical symptoms, ypt (mpt) Survival time, ypt (mpt) Age at endpoint, y Reason for euthanasia
CO7423 CO1619 100 mL whole blood NA 4.8 (58) 17 Unresectable pelvic tumor
CO7423 98CO19 100 mL whole blood NA 8.7 (104) 23 Nonreducible inguinal hernia
CO7422 DEIM Red blood cell–depleted 100 mL whole blood equivalent 8.7 (104) 9 (108) 12 Neurologic signs of vCJD
C16999 DFOO Red blood cell–depleted 100 mL whole blood equivalent NA 10 (120) 13 Planned end of study

*Inoculation of these animals was described previously (6). mpt, month posttransfusion; NA, not applicable; vCJD, variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease; ypt, year posttransfusion.

Main Article

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Main Article

1Retired.

We transfused 4 macaques with blood of macaques previously infected with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, resulting in disease transmittal to 2 macaques (1 demonstrating clinical signs). Nasal swab specimens from both infected macaques became positive for disease-associated prion protein during the preclinical stage. Such samples are suitable for antemortem diagnosis during long incubation periods.

Page created: December 13, 2025
Page updated: December 23, 2025
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