Originally believed to be due to a unique viral infection, it is now believed that prion diseases or Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are the result of a new, infectious protein (PrPSc). Definitive antemortem tests for TSEs are lacking, primarily due to an inability to expand the… More

The human infectivity of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is unclear. Current diagnostics rely upon post-mortem examination and late-term disease. Migratory B cells are emerging as likely candidates for blood-borne infectivity, and therefore, a logical target for sensitive antemortem diagnosis. We… More

Prion diseases are unique, in that their exceptionally long incubation period makes it difficult to diagnose prior to end-stage disease. While many diagnostic assays for infectious diseases rely upon detection of specific immunity, prion diseases apparently provoke no detectable immune response. … More

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies are a new class of infectious diseases, as the causative agent appears to be an altered form of a normal cellular protein capable of self-replication. While these diseases originally gained attention as food-borne illnesses, it has become apparent that… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies are a family of progressive, invariably fatal neurological disorders. Unlike more conventional infectious diseases, TSEs appear to be caused by a new family of infectious agents , a misfolded self protein (PrPd) capable… More