Study of CWD Deer and Elk Prion Disease in Nonhuman Primates

为了研究CWD跨物种传播的可能性，用感染CWD的鹿或麋鹿的脑组织材料经口或脑内感染两种非人类灵长类动物松猴和食蟹猴。感染三年后，四只脑内感染的松鼠猴出现了临床神经症状，并经脑部生化和病理测试证实患有普里恩病。一只口服感染的松鼠猴也患上了疾病。到目前为止，食蟹猴还没有出现任何疾病的迹象。对剩下的猴子的观察将至少再持续几年。

To study the possibility of cross-species transmission of CWD, two species of nonhuman primates, squirrel monkeys and cynomologus macaques, were infected orally or intracerebrally with brain material derived from CWD affected deer or elk. Three years after infection four intracerebrally infected squirrel monkeys developed clinical neurological signs and were confirmed by biochemical and pathological testing of brain to have a prion disease. One orally infected squirrel monkey also developed disease. So far no cynomologus macaques have developed any signs of disease. Observations on the remaining monkeys will continue for at least a few more years.