Applicability of a rapid chromatographic immunoassay for analysis of the distribution of PrPBSE in confirmed BSE cases

The Prionics-Check PrioSTRIP is a rapid chromatographic immunoassay for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) approved by the European Union in 2004. In this study, the PrioSTRIP was used to analyse PrP(BSE) in 16 different brain areas of nine confirmed BSE cases. The levels of PrP(BSE) in the different brain areas were plotted to give the brain PrP(BSE) distribution curve (BPDC) and compared with the BPDC obtained previously by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods on the same samples. The distribution of PrP(BSE) in different areas of the brain was similar, irrespective of the test applied, indicating that each test could be used for the characterisation of BSE cases.