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，两种非人灵长类动物，松鼠猴和食蟹猴，经口或脑内感染来自CWD受影响的鹿或麋鹿的脑材料。 感染三年后，四只脑内感染的松鼠猴出现了临床神经症状，并通过脑生化和病理学检测证实患有朊病毒病。一只经口感染的松鼠猴也出现了疾病。到目前为止，没有食蟹猴出现任何疾病迹象。对剩下的猴子的观察至少还要持续几年。

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.