Detection by real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), ELISA,and IHC of chronic wasting disease prion in lymph nodes from Pennsylvania white-tailed deer with specific PRNP genotypes

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion-mediated, transmissible disease of cervids, including deer (Odocoileus spp.), which is characterized by spongiform encephalopathy and death of the prion-infected animals. Official surveillance in the United States using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and ELISA entails the laborious collection of lymphoid and/or brainstem tissue after death. New, highly sensitive prion detection methods, such as real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), have shown promise in detecting abnormal prions from both antemortem and postmortem specimens. We compared RT-QuIC with ELISA and IHC for CWD detection utilizing deer retropharyngeal lymph node (RLN) tissues in a diagnostic laboratory setting. The RLNs were collected postmortem from hunter-harvested animals. RT-QuIC showed 100% sensitivity and specificity for 50 deer RLN (35 positive by both IHC and ELISA, 15 negative) included in our study. All deer were also genotyped for PRNP polymorphism. Most deer were homozygous at codons 95, 96, 116, and 226 (QQ/GG/AA/QQ genotype, with frequency 0.86), which are the codons implicated in disease susceptibility. Heterozygosity was noticed in Pennsylvania deer, albeit at a very low frequency, for codons 95GS (0.06) and 96QH (0.08), but deer with these genotypes were still found to be CWD prion-infected.     

Surveillance of chronic wasting disease in sika deer, Cervus nippon, from Tokachi district in Hokkaido

Surveillance of chronic wasting disease (CWD) was conducted by performing Western blot analysis of tissue samples from 136 sika deer (Cervus nippon) killed by hunters in the Tokachi district of Hokkaido Island. No prion protein (PrPSc) associated with CWD was detected in any of the samples. To assess amino acid polymorphisms of the sika deer PrP gene, nucleotide sequencing of the PrP gene was performed. The only amino acid polymorphisms detected were 3 silent mutations at nucleotide positions 63, 225 and 408. These results suggest that sika deer in the Tokachi district are genetically homogeneous, and are not infected with CWD.     

Abundant PrP(CWD) in tonsil from mule deer with preclinical chronic wasting disease.

A monoclonal antibody dot-blot assay was used to evaluate detergent lysates of tonsil tissue from mule deer to detect PrP(CWD), the marker for the cervid transmissible spongiform encephalopathy chronic wasting disease (CWD). Samples of formalin-fixed brain and tonsil tissues from mule deer were examined for PrP(CWD) using immunohistochemistry (IHC) with Mab F99/97.6.1, the gold standard for diagnosis of preclinical CWD. The contralateral tonsil from each of the 143 deer was prepared for confirmatory IHC and as a 10% (wt/vol) detergent lysate without purification or enrichment steps for monoclonal antibody dot-blot assay. PrP(CWD) was detected by dot-blot assay in 49 of 50 samples considered positive by IHC. Forty-eight of the positive samples were evaluated with a quantitative dot-blot assay calibrated with recombinant PrP. Tonsillar PrP(CWD) concentrations ranged from 34 to 1,188 ng per 0.5 mg starting wet weight of tissue. The abundant PrP(CWD) in mule deer tonsil will facilitate development and validation of high-throughput screening tests for CWD in large populations of free-ranging deer.     

Divergence of p33/34 gene of Theileria found in Cervus nippon in Japan

The 18S rRNA gene and the piroplasm major immunodominant protein gene (p33/34) of Theileria from various subspecies of sika deer in 8 different locations of Japan were analyzed. The similarity between 633 bp partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene among various subspecies of sika deer was found to be between 99.7% and 100%. While the percent identities of the 412 bp partial p33/34 gene sequence and deduced amino acid sequences between Theileria of sika deer from Yamaguchi Prefecture and those found in deer from other Prefectures, were comparatively low, 68.7% to 70.1% and 64.1% to 70.0% respectively. These findings suggest that there are at least two genetically distinct strains of Theileria of sika deer in Japan.     

Evaluation of the genetic structure of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan's Kanto and Tanzawa mountain areas,based on microsatellite markers

The browsing habits of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan have caused serious ecological problems. Appropriate management of sika deer populations requires understanding the different genetic structures of local populations. In the present study, we used 10 microsatellite polymorphisms to explore the genetic structures of sika deer populations (162 individuals) living in the Kanto region. The expected heterozygosity of the Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I) was lower than that of the populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II). Our results suggest that moderate gene flow has occurred between the sika deer populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II), but not to or from the Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I). Also, genetic structure analysis showed that the Tanzawa population was separated from the other populations. This is probably attributable to a genetic bottleneck that developed in the Tanzawa sika deer population in the 1950s. However, we found that the Tanzawa population has since recovered from the bottleneck situation and now exhibits good genetic diversity. Our results show that it is essential to periodically evaluate the genetic structures of deer populations to develop conservation strategies appropriate to the specific structures of individual populations at any given time.     

A survey of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from wild sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan

We examined the antimicrobial susceptibility of 848 Escherichia coli isolates from 237 feces samples of wild sika deer (Cervus nippon) captured between 2016 and 2019 in 39 of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Five of the 237 wild sika deer (2.1%) carried E. coli with resistance to at least one antimicrobial, and all the resistant isolates showed resistance to tetracycline. The resistant isolates contained antimicrobial resistance genes that were similar to those in E. coli derived from humans and farm animals. Although wild sika deer are not currently likely to be a source for the transmission of antimicrobial resistance in Japan, they can potentially mediate antimicrobial resistance spread by coming into contact with humans, animals, and their surroundings.     

Intestinal spirochetosis in wild sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) infected with Brachyspira species

Seven adult free-ranging sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) were examined by histology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy for intestinal spirochetal infection. Histologically epithelial and goblet cell hyperplasia and edema of the lamina propria mucosa with macrophage and lymphocyte infiltration were observed in the cecum and colon in 6 of the 7 deer. Numerous argyrophilic spirochetes were present in the crypts and some had invaded epithelial and goblet cells and caused degeneration. Immunohistochemically the organisms stained positively with polyclonal antisera against Brachyspira (Serpulina) hyodysenteriae and B. pilosicoli. Ultrastructurally they were 6-14 microm long, 0.2-0.3 microm wide and had 4-6 coils and 13 axial filaments per cell; such features were closely similar to those in the Brachyspira species. These results showed that the spirochetes were capable of inducing enteritis in deer and this intestinal spirochete infection might already be prevalent among wild sika deer in Japan. There is a possibility that this spirochetal colitis is a new syndrome in sika deer and that the same and/or similar spirochetes have infected ruminants, including sika deer and cattle.     

Additional cases of Chronic Wasting Disease in imported deer in Korea

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which had previously occurred only in the U.S.A. and Canada, broke out in a farm at Chungbuk, Korea from imported Canadian deer (Aug. 8, 2001). CWD distribution, through surveillance and epidemiologic investigations, was reported for 93 deer (43 from the CWD originating farm and 50 imported with the CWD originating farm's deer) out of 144 deer (72 from the CWD originating farm and 72 imported with the CWD originating farm's deer) that were breeding at 30 different farms. On Oct. 4 and Oct. 8, 2001, additional cases of CWD were investigated. As a result of slaughtering cohabitating deer, it was verified that other imported deer from Canada were also infected with CWD. Since it was thought that this might cause horizontal transmission, 93 deer imported from Canada in 1997 and 130 cohabitating Korean deer were slaughtered and examined. There were no infected Korean deer, but CWD re-occurred on Nov. 20, 2004 and is still under investigation.     

Validation of monoclonal antibody F99/97.6.1 for immunohistochemical staining of brain and tonsil in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) with chronic wasting disease.

A new monoclonal antibody (MAb), F99/97.6.1, that has been used to demonstrate scrapie-associated prion protein PrP(Sc) in brain and lymphoid tissues of domestic sheep with scrapie was used in an immunohistochemistry assay for diagnosis of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). The MAb F99/97.6.1 immunohistochemistry assay was evaluated in brain and tonsil tissue from 100 mule deer that had spongiform encephalopathy compatible with CWD and from 1,050 mule deer outside the CWD-endemic area. This MAb demonstrated abnormal protease-resistant prion protein (PrP(res)) in brains of all of the 100 mule deer and in 99 of the 100 tonsil samples. No immunostaining was seen in samples collected from deer outside the endemic area. MAb F99/97.6.1 demonstrated excellent properties for detection of PrP(res) in fresh, frozen, or mildly to moderately autolytic samples of brain and tonsil. This immunohistochemistry assay is a sensitive, specific, readily standardized diagnostic test for CWD in deer.     

Isolation of a Megatrypanum trypanosome from sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Japan

A trypanosome was isolated from a sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Hokkaido, Japan, during the primary culture of sika deer renal cells. This is the first report of isolation of a Megatrypanum trypanosome from Japanese Cervidae. The trypanosome, designated TSD1, was propagated and maintained in Eagle's modified essential medium containing 20% fetal bovine serum with sika deer renal cells as feeder. The TSD1 trypanosome was morphometrically similar to Trypanosoma cervi, which is commonly isolated from American and European deer. PCR analysis with primers for 18S ribosomal DNA and nucleotide sequencing showed that TSD1 is a member of genus Trypanosoma, subgenus Megatrypanum. Phylogenetically TSD1 is closely related to T. theileri, a common trypanosome of cattle, but is distinguishable from T. theileri by some morphometrical and biological features.     

Experimental transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from elk and white-tailed deer to fallow deer by intracerebral route: final report

Final observations on experimental transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to fallow deer (Dama dama) are reported herein. During the 5-year study, 13 fawns were inoculated intracerebrally with CWD-infected brain material from white-tailed deer (n = 7; Group A) or elk (n = 6; Group B), and 3 other fawns were kept as uninoculated controls (Group C). As described previously, 3 CWD-inoculated deer were euthanized at 7.6 mo post-inoculation (MPI). None revealed presence of abnormal prion protein (PrP(d)) in their tissues. At 24 (Group A) and 26 (Group B) MPI, 2 deer were necropsied. Both animals had a small focal accumulation of PrP(d) in their midbrains. Between 29 and 37 MPI, 3 other deer (all from Group A) were euthanized. The 5 remaining deer became sick and were euthanized between 51 and 60 MPI (1 from Group A and 4 from Group B). Microscopic lesions of spongiform encephalopathy (SE) were observed in only these 5 animals; however, PrP(d) was detected in tissues of the central nervous system by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and by commercial rapid test in all animals that survived beyond 24 MPI. This study demonstrates that intracerebrally inoculated fallow deer not only amplify CWD prions, but also develop lesions of spongiform encephalopathy.     

梅花鹿朊蛋白基因(PRNP)的克隆及序列分析

根据GenBank中鹿朊蛋白基因序列设计特异性扩增引物，采用PCR方法从中国梅花鹿基因组中扩增得到梅花鹿的朊蛋白基因，采用PCR产物直接测序，并将其克隆到pGEM—TEasy载体中测序进行进一步确认，通过分析表明所克隆的梅花鹿朊蛋白基因的ORF基因片段包含771bp，编码256个氨基酸的前体蛋白，相对分子质量约为28200。与已报道的其他品种鹿朊蛋白基因序列进行对比分析，核苷酸及氨基酸序列的同源性均在98％以上。本试验为进一步研究中国梅花鹿朊蛋白的多态性提供了数据。     

First results of chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance in the south-eastern part of Belgium

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has not been reported in Europe, whereas it is considered to be enzootic in free-ranging mule deer, Rocky mountain elk and white-tailed deer in the area of Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska, and new foci of CWD have been detected in other parts of the United States. However, no large-scale active epidemiosurveillance of European wild cervids has been installed in Europe. In accordance with the opinion of the European Scientific Steering Committee, a preliminary (active) surveillance scheme was installed, in order to improve the knowledge of the CWD status of the Belgian free-ranging cervids (roe deer and red deer). Spleen samples (n=866) of roe deer and red deer collected in the south-eastern part of Belgium, were examined for CWD using a enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of Bio-Rad. Afterwards, the ELISA was systematically confirmed by immunohistochemistry using three antibodies, namely R524, 2G11 and 12F10. There were no indications on the occurrence of transmissible spongiform enncephalopathy (TSE) in any of the samples. A Bayesian framework was used for the estimation of the true prevalence of CWD in south-eastern part of Belgium that was estimated to have a median value of zero with a 95% percentile value of 0.00115.     

基于GBS技术对梅花鹿、马鹿及其杂交后代基因组SNP特征的分析

旨在利用基因分型测序（genotyping by sequencing,GBS）技术对梅花鹿、马鹿及其杂交后代（F1、F2）基因组的SNP特征进行分析。本试验采用GBS技术对梅花鹿（63个）、马鹿（12个）及其杂交后代（F1代112个,F2代38个,未知类型个体1个）共226个个体的血液基因组DNA进行测序,并利用本实验室前期110只梅花鹿、197只马鹿和1只F1代杂交鹿的测序数据,以梅花鹿全基因组为参考序列进行比对分析。结果,226个个体共产生Clean data 322.683 Gb,平均每个样品1 427.802 Mb;将所有样本作为一个群体检测SNP变异,共检测出SNP位点23 943 582个,质控过滤后得到SNP位点31 630个。对31 630个SNPs使用最大似然（maximum likelihood,ML）法构建的分子进化树显示,梅花鹿、马鹿、F1及F2代区分明显。对梅花鹿和马鹿的SNPs进行比对分析,筛选出可用于鉴别马鹿、梅花鹿、F1、F2的物种特异SNP位点1 032个（马鹿特异SNP位点474个,梅花鹿特异SNP位点558个）,计算结果显示,F1代个体包含马鹿特异SNPs的比例主要在40%~60%之间,F2代个体含马鹿特异SNPs的比例主要在10%~30%之间,马鹿个体中不含梅花鹿的特异SNPs,梅花鹿中55.49%的个体不含马鹿特异SNPs,17.34%的个体含马鹿特异SNPs的比例低于1%,13.29%的个体含马鹿特异SNPs的比例在1%~10%之间,其余个体含马鹿特异SNPs的比例为10%~20%（其中有一个个体含马鹿特异SNPs的比例为33.3%）。该研究为花马杂交鹿后代的鉴定提供了可靠标记,并定量估计了F1和F2代个体含马鹿特异SNPs的比例,马鹿个体中不含梅花鹿的特异SNPs,这对梅花鹿、马鹿及其杂交后代（F1、F2）的鉴别具有重要意义。     

Field validation and assessment of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting chronic wasting disease in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni).

Tissue samples (n = 25,050 total) from 23,256 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) collected statewide in Colorado were examined for chronic wasting disease (CWD) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay developed by Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (brELISA), in a 2-phase study. In the validation phase of this study, a total of 4,175 retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLN) or obex (OB) tissue samples were examined independently by brELISA and immunohistochemistry (IHC). There were 137 IHC-positive samples and 4,038 IHC-negative samples. Optical density (OD) values from brELISA were classified as "not detected" or "suspect" based on recommended cutoff values during the validation phase. Using IHC-positive cases as known CWD-infected individuals and assuming IHC-negative cases as uninfected, the relative sensitivity of brELISA depending on species ranged from 98.3% to 100% for RLN samples and 92.1% to 93.3% for OB samples; the relative specificity of brELISA depending on species ranged from 99.9% to 100% for RLN samples and was 100% for OB samples. Overall agreement between brELISA and IHC was > or = 97.6% in RLN samples and > or = 95.7% in OB samples of all species where values could be calculated; moreover, mean brELISA OD values were > or = 46X higher in IHC-positive samples than in IHC-negative samples. Discrepancies were observed only in early-stage cases of CWD. Based on the validation phase data, only RLN samples were collected for the field application phase of this study and only samples with brELISA OD values > 0.1 were examined by IHC. Among 20,875 RLN samples screened with brELISA during this second testing phase, 155 of 8,877 mule deer, 33 of 11,731 elk, and 9 of 267 white-tailed deer samples (197 total) had OD values > 0.1 and were further evaluated by IHC to confirm evidence of CWD infection. Of cases flagged for IHC follow-up, 143 of 155 mule deer, 29 of 33 elk, and all 9 white-tailed deer were confirmed positive. Mean (+/- SE) OD values for IHC-positive cases detected during the field application phase were comparable with those measured in RLN tissues during the validation phase. Based on these data, brELISA was determined to be an excellent rapid test for screening large numbers of samples in surveys designed to detect CWD infections in deer and elk populations.     

日月山梅花鹿公鹿血清生理指标研究

对日月山养鹿场围栏放牧的10头梅花鹿公鹿的7项血清生理指标进行了测定,并与祁连白唇鹿、祁连马鹿、祁连梅花鹿的某些生理指标进行比较。结果表明,日月山梅花鹿血清总蛋白显著低于祁连白唇鹿、祁连马鹿及祁连梅花鹿(P<0.01);日月山梅花鹿血清无机磷显著低于祁连白唇鹿(P<0.01),其他血清生理指标无显著差异(P>0.05)。     

马鹿特异性SNP分子标记的验证

试验旨在对基于基因分型测序（genotyping by sequencing,GBS）技术筛选出的马鹿特异性SNPs位点的准确性进行验证,为梅花鹿、马鹿及其杂交后代的鉴别提供可靠的分子遗传标记。随机选取30个马鹿特异性SNPs位点,根据SNPs位点前后各200 bp的序列,利用Primer Premier 6.0软件设计特异性引物,以随机选取的验证样本DNA作为模板进行PCR扩增,并进行Sanger测序,对测序结果利用BioEdit软件进行峰图的观察,利用Mega 6.0软件对测序得到的序列进行比对分析并观察每个特异性SNP位点在不同验证群体中的基因型,对每一个马鹿特异性位点的峰图和比对信息进行统计分析。结果表明,30个马鹿特异性位点中有28个和前期研究结果一致,其中1个SNP位点（SNP3）中G等位基因在梅花鹿中的基因频率为0.05,而G等位基因在马鹿中的基因频率为1,G等位基因在马鹿个体中的基因频率比在梅花鹿个体中高,同时,利用SPSS 22.0进行统计分析发现,该位点在马鹿和梅花鹿中基因型分布表现出显著性差异（P<0.05）;另外1个SNP位点（SNP5）中T等位基因在梅花鹿的基因频率为0.15,而在马鹿中的基因频率为1,且这个SNP位点在梅花鹿和马鹿中基因型分布差异显著（P<0.05）,所以这2个位点仍然可以作为马鹿的特异性SNPs位点。研究结果说明了GBS测序筛选出的马鹿特异性SNPs可以作为鉴定的分子标记,对梅花鹿、马鹿及其杂交后代的鉴别奠定了理论基础。     

Indices for nutritional condition and thresholds for winter survival in sika deer in Hokkaido, Japan

We derived fat indices for sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in eastern Hokkaido, Japan, and estimated the probability of over-winter survival with a logistic regression model using fat indices. Kidney fat mass (KFM) appears to be an adequate index of wide range of physical conditions before the onset of severe nutritional stress. When KFM values fell below 20 g, femur (FMF) and mandible cavity fat (MCF) indices declined sharply. FMF and MCF were useful indices for detecting malnourished deer. A logistic regression model describes survival thresholds in two bone fat indices for calves (45%) and three fat indices for adult females (FMF = 25%, MCF = 30%, KFM = 20 g). These models are useful for estimating the probability of winter survival in Hokkaido sika deer.     

东北梅花鹿、猪和牛血粉氨基酸、胆固醇、钙和磷含量的比较分析

选用氨基酸、胆固醇、钙、磷作为检测指标,对冻干法加工的东北梅花鹿血粉、猪血粉、牛血粉进行了比较分析。通过三者的内在质量差异,探讨评定东北梅花鹿血粉的质量依据。结果表明：东北梅花鹿血粉中的氨基酸总量显著高于其他2种动物血粉（P〈0．05）,胆固醇含量显著低于牛血粉（P〈0．05）、猪血粉（P〈0．05）,因此,冻干法加工的鹿血粉是较理想的氨基酸含量高、胆固醇含量低的保健食品和药品。     

Occurrence of two distinct Theileria lineages in sika deer (Cervus nippon) of Iwate Prefecture, Japan

In the present study, we tried to detect protozoan blood parasites from the liver or blood of 141 Japanese sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Iwate Prefecture of Japan by polymerase chain reaction. Approximately 500-bp amplicons were obtained in 76 (53.9%) of 141 samples by amplification for V4 hyper-variable regions of the 18S rRNA gene, and the amplicons were considered to be DNA of Theileria species. The complete nucleotide sequences (1701-bp) of the 18S rRNA gene were determined in 25 samples and were divided into 8 genotypes that were phylogenetically separated into two distinct lineages showing a monophyletic relation. The two lineages of Theileria were detected in different rates (12 and 88%) from sika deer in Iwate Prefecture.