Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an evolving prion disease of cervids (deer, elk and moose) that has been recognized in North America and Korea. Infection of non-cervid reservoir or transport species in nature is not reported. However, the ferret (Mustela putorius furo) is susceptible to CWD after experimental inoculation. Here, we report that infection of ferrets with either of two ferret CWD ...

Animal social behaviour can have important effects on the long-term dynamics of diseases. In particular, preferential spatial relationships between individuals can lead to differences in the rates of disease spread within a population. We examined the concurrent influence of genetic relatedness, sex, age, home range overlap, time of year, and prion disease status on proximal associations of adu...

Prion diseases (e.g. ‘mad cow’ disease in cattle, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans) have been a major public health concern affecting humans and almost all animals. However, dogs are strongly resistant to prion diseases. Recently, through transgenic techniques, it was reported that the single (surface) residue D159 is sufficient to confer protection a...

Observed spatial patterns in natural systems may result from processes acting across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Although spatially explicit data on processes that generate ecological patterns, such as the distribution of disease over a landscape, are frequently unavailable, information about the scales over which processes operate can be used to understand the link between pattern an...

Endemic and emerging diseases are rarely uniform in their spatial distribution or prevalence among cohorts of wildlife. Spatial models that quantify risk-driven differences in resource selection and hunter mortality of animals at fine spatial scales can assist disease management by identifying high-risk areas and individuals. We used resource selection functions (RSFs) and selection ratios (SRs...

Scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and chronic wasting disease (CWD) are prion diseases in ruminants with considerable impact on animal health and welfare. They can also pose a risk to human health and control is therefore an important issue. Prion protein (PrP) genetics may be used to control and eventually eradicate animal prion diseases. The PrP gene in sheep and other represen...

We report the first detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Sweden, three old female moose (Alces alces). Prions (PrPCWD) were detected brain but not lymph nodes. The findings are similar to previously described CWD cases Norway, where a spontaneous origin is hypothesized.

AIMS To assess the prevalence and clinical impact of reductions in the skeletal muscle mass of patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Chronic HF is accompanied by co-morbidities that influence the quality of life and outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS We prospectively enrolled 200 patients with chronic HF. The appendicular skeletal muscle mass of the arms and the legs combined, was assessed by ...