Uptake, Retention, and Excretion of Infectious Prions by Experimentally Exposed Earthworms

Abstract

Prions are proteinaceous infectious agents that can be transmitted through various components of the environment, including soil particles. We found that earthworms exposed to prion-contaminated soil can bind, retain, and excrete prions, which remain highly infectious. Our results suggest that earthworms potentially contribute to prion disease spread in the environment.

Keywords

• prions and related diseases
• chronic wasting disease
• environmental transmission
• PMCA
• earthworms