A comprehensive approach to halt chronic wasting disease transmission

阻止慢性消耗性疾病传播的综合方法

• 批准号: 571218-2021
• 负责人: Gilch, SabineS
• 金额: $ 29.77万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=766018
• 关键词: comprehensive; approach; halt; chronic; wasting

We have a small-and shrinking-window of opportunity to save some of Canada's best-known animals. Cervids (deer, elk, moose, caribou) play an important role in the health and ecological balance of their environment. However, their numbers are threatened by chronic wasting disease (CWD), a highly contagious, brain-destroying disease spreading across North America and Northern Europe, in both farmed and wild cervid herds. Infected cervids shed prions (the infectious proteins responsible for CWD) onto the ground, which remains contaminated for over 10 years and infects other animals during that time. Killing or reducing herds is emotionally and politically unpopular and has limited effects on transmission. CWD could infect and kill many of Canada's 2 million cervids. This would hurt those who rely on cervids for food and culture, and damage ecosystems, biodiversity, the economy and potentially human health.With our government and industry partners, we will develop a comprehensive set of tools to protect cervids from CWD by vaccination and reducing environmental prion load. Specifically, we will develop a vaccine and test it in deer; investigate whether vaccination affects the development of new prion variants; find out if vaccines, genetic resistance and less prions in the ground are effective together, and if more cervids survive as a result; and work with stakeholders and Indigenous communities to ensure the most acceptance for these strategies.CWD is not likely to be eliminated but it can be contained and its impact reduced. Implementation of our approaches will restrict the geographical spread of CWD and the species affected, and reduce the number of outbreaks and cases so the disease can be managed more effectively. Ultimately, this will allow cervids to continue playing their important role in the environment and in the lives of those who depend on them for food and income.

我们拯救加拿大一些最著名的动物的机会之窗很小，而且越来越小。鹿群（鹿、麋鹿、驼鹿、驯鹿）在其生存环境的健康和生态平衡中发挥着重要作用。然而，它们的数量受到慢性消耗性疾病（CWD）的威胁，慢性消耗性疾病是一种高度传染性的破坏大脑的疾病，在北美和北欧的养殖和野生鹿群中蔓延。受感染的家畜会将朊病毒（导致CWD的传染性蛋白质）落到地面上，这种病毒会被污染10年以上，并在此期间感染其他动物。杀死或减少畜群在情感上和政治上都不受欢迎，对传播的影响有限。CWD可能会感染并杀死加拿大200万名护士中的许多人。这将伤害那些依赖食物和文化的人，并破坏生态系统、生物多样性、经济，甚至可能损害人类健康。我们将与我们的政府和行业伙伴一起开发一套全面的工具，通过接种疫苗和减少环境朊病毒负荷来保护提供者免受CWD的侵害。具体来说，我们将开发一种疫苗并在鹿身上进行测试；调查疫苗接种是否影响新的朊病毒变异的发展；查明疫苗、遗传抗性和地下较少的朊病毒是否共同有效，以及是否因此有更多的患者存活下来；并与利益攸关方和土著社区合作，确保这些战略得到最大程度的接受。CWD不太可能被消除，但它可以被控制并减少其影响。实施我们的方法将限制CWD和受影响物种的地理传播，并减少疫情和病例的数量，从而可以更有效地管理该疾病。最终，这将使提供者能够继续在环境和依赖他们获得食物和收入的人的生活中发挥重要作用。