Features manifests evidence of infectious agents believed responsible for TSEs explores prion protein detection via immunoassay, chemiluminescent ELISA, bioassay, and fluorescence relates differential extraction, DELFIA, multispectral techniques, and in vivo diagnostics consults comparable sheep-carried infection scrapie for BSE leads examines chronic wasting disease, a TSE striking deer and elk populations specifies measures for active BSE surveillance and safety monitoring of biological products presents models for estimating probabilities of animal-animal BSE spread Summary The alarm sounded by Canada's recently confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has reaffirmed the exigency of establishing improved safeguards and more aggressive surveillance protocols in North America and around the world. Research converging on the probable causative agent-prion proteins-calls for intensive assessment of the headway gained in tracing prions, testing for transmissible neurodegenerative diseases, and developing methods for cornering the epidemic. Administered by an illustrious panel of 36 international contributors, this timely book marshals techniques for prion protein assay and diagnosis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).

Foreword Preface Contributors 1 Taking Aim at the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Infectious Agents 1 2 Prions, the Protein Hypothesis, and Scientific Revolutions 21 3 A Simulation Model for Evaluating the Potential for Spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in Animals or to People 61 4 Actions to Prevent Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy from Entering the United States 125 5 Overview of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy in Cervids in the United States 137 6 Bioassays for Prions 151 7 Cyclic Amplification of Scrapie Prion Protein: Implications for Diagnosis 181 8 The Enfer Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Assay: Chemiluminescent ELISA of Prion Proteins 199 9 Sensitive Detection of Prion Proteins by Immunoassay: CEA/Bio-Rad Test 247 10 The Diagnosis of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Using Differential Extraction and DELFIA 277 11 In Vivo Diagnosis of Prion Diseases 317 12 Diagnosis of Prion Diseases by Multispectral Techniques 333 13 Detection of the Prion Protein in Blood Using a Fluorescence Immunoassay 359 14 Prion Detection and Application to the Safety of Biological Products 379 Index 413