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- Title
Mineral licks as environmental reservoirs of chronic wasting disease prions.
- Authors
Plummer, Ian H.; Johnson, Chad J.; Chesney, Alexandra R.; Pedersen, Joel A.; Samuel, Michael D.
- Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of deer, elk, moose, and reindeer (cervids) caused by misfolded prion proteins. The disease has been reported across North America and recently discovered in northern Europe. Transmission of CWD in wild cervid populations can occur through environmental routes, but limited ability to detect prions in environmental samples has prevented the identification of potential transmission “hot spots”. We establish widespread CWD prion contamination of mineral licks used by free-ranging cervids in an enzootic area in Wisconsin, USA. We show mineral licks can serve as reservoirs of CWD prions and thus facilitate disease transmission. Furthermore, mineral licks attract livestock and other wildlife that also obtain mineral nutrients via soil and water consumption. Exposure to CWD prions at mineral licks provides potential for cross-species transmission to wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Managing deer use of mineral licks warrants further consideration to help control outbreaks of CWD.
- Subjects
CHRONIC wasting disease; NEURODEGENERATION; PROTEIN folding; INFECTIOUS disease transmission; SALT licks
- Publication
PLoS ONE, 2018, Vol 13, Issue 5, p1
- ISSN
1932-6203
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0196745