Infection-specific particle from the unconventional slow virus diseases.

Abstract

Scrapie-associated fibrils, first observed in brains of scrapie-infected mice, were also observed in scrapie-infected hamsters and monkeys, in humans with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and in kuru-infected monkeys. These fibrils were not found in a comprehensive series of control brains from humans and animals affected with central nervous system disorders resulting in histopathologies, ultrastructural features, or disease symptoms similar to those of scrapie, kuru, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. These fibrils are also found in preclinical scrapie and in the spleens of scrapie-infected mice; they are a specific marker for the "unconventional" slow virus diseases, and may be the etiological agent.

• Authors: P A Merz, R G Rohwer, R Kascsak, H M Wisniewski, R A Somerville, C J Gibbs Jr, D C Gajdusek
• Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.) (Science) Vol. 225 Issue 4660 Pg. 437-40 (Jul 27 1984) ISSN: 0036-8075 [Print] United States
• PMID: 6377496 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Amyloid
• Triethyltin Compounds
• Cuprizone
• triethyltin

Topics

• Alzheimer Disease (pathology)
• Amyloid (metabolism)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (pathology)
• Animals
• Brain (drug effects, ultrastructure)
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome (pathology)
• Cricetinae
• Cuprizone (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Kuru (pathology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Parkinson Disease (pathology)
• Saimiri
• Scrapie (pathology)
• Sheep
• Slow Virus Diseases (pathology)
• Spleen (ultrastructure)
• Triethyltin Compounds (pharmacology)