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Increased attack rates and decreased incubation periods in raccoons with chronic wasting disease passaged through meadow voles

April 4, 2022

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally-occurring neurodegenerative disease of cervids. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) have previously been shown to be susceptible to the CWD agent. To investigate the potential for transmission of the agent of CWD from white-tailed deer to voles and subsequently to raccoons, we intracranially inoculated raccoons with brain homogenate from a CWD-affected white-tailed deer (CWDWtd) or derivatives of this isolate after it had been passaged through voles 1 or 5 times. We found that passage of the CWDWtd isolate through voles led to a change in the biologic behavior of the CWD agent, including increased attack rates and decreased incubation periods in raccoons. A better understanding of the dynamics of cross-species transmission of CWD prions can provide insights into how these infectious proteins evolve in new hosts.

Publication Year 2022
Title Increased attack rates and decreased incubation periods in raccoons with chronic wasting disease passaged through meadow voles
DOI 10.3201/eid2804.210271
Authors S. Jo Moore, Christina M. Carlson, Jay R. Schneider, Christopher J. Johnson, Justin J. Greenlee
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Emerging Infectious Diseases
Index ID 70250536
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Office of Science Quality and Integrity
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