Wasting Prion Risk

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE), a natural transmission prion endemic disease affecting cervids, difficult to eradicate. Prion diseases are fatal, neurodegenerative, with accumulation of the abnormal isoform of the cellular prion protein PrPc/PrPres. The study of susceptibility/resistance of cervids to CWD is very important to define its risk of dissemination/development as well as its potential as prion reservoir. The study of susceptibility/resistance to prion disease are influenced by polymorphism in the prnp gene, so, both characterization of prnp genotype profile in cervids and PrPres survey and georeferencing of TSF affected farms, will contribute to delineate the dissemination risk of CWD in Portugal. We propose to carry on a risk analysis for a potential occurrence in Portugal through sampling of risk cervides for PrPres detection, genotyping, identification of risk factors and the increase of CWD awareness among stakeholdres.

Reference: POCI-01-0145-FEEDER-02994/PTDV/CVT-CVT/29947/2017

Total funding: 239,898.90 €

Funding for CECAV/UTAD: 201,772€

Leading institution: CECAV/UTAD

Partners: Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco; Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P. (INIAV)

Project Leader: Maria dos Anjos Pires

Link: https://wastingprionrisk.pt/