Chronic Wasting Disease Prion Strain Emergence and Host Range Expansion

Abstract

Human and mouse prion proteins share a structural motif that regulates resistance to common chronic wasting disease (CWD) prion strains. Successful transmission of an emergent strain of CWD prion, H95+, into mice resulted in infection. Thus, emergent CWD prion strains may have higher zoonotic potential than common strains.

Keywords

• prions
• prion diseases
• prions and related diseases
• host range
• chronic wasting disease
• pathogenicity