Detection and Decontamination of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions during Venison Processing.

ABSTRACT: Prion diseases, including chronic wasting disease (CWD), are caused by prions, which are misfolded aggregates of normal cellular prion protein. Prions possess many characteristics that distinguish them from conventional pathogens, in particular, an extraordinary recalcitrance to inactivation and a propensity to avidly bind to surfaces. In middle to late stages of CWD, prions begin accumulating in cervid muscle tissues. Those features collectively create scenarios in which occupational hazards arise for workers processing venison and pose risks to consumers through direct prion exposure through ingestion and cross-contamination of food products. In this study, we demonstrate that steel and plastic surfaces used in venison processing can be directly contaminated with CWD prions and that cros

SUBMITTER: Milstein M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11950272 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature