biostudies-literatureBenavente RNIA NIH HHSNIAID NIH HHS20171https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10656533biostudies-literatureUnknown13(1)Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease affecting cervids. CWD diagnosis is conducted through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in retropharyngeal lymph nodes. Unfortunately, these techniques have limited sensitivity against the biomarker (CWD-prions). Two in vitro prion amplification techniques, real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), have shown promise in detecting CWD-prions in tissues and bodily fluids. Recent studies have demonstrated that RT-QuIC yields similar results compared to ELISA and IHC. Here, we analyzed 1003 retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) from Texas white-tailed deer. PMCA detected CWD at a higher rate compared to ELISA/IHC, identified different prion strains, andScientific reportsPMCA screening of retropharyngeal lymph nodes in white-tailed deer and comparisons with ELISA and IHC.PMC10656533RF1 AG072491R01 AI132695Reed JHBenavente RLockwood MMorales RfalsePMCA screening of retropharyngeal lymph nodes in white-tailed deer and comparisons with ELISA and IHC.Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease affecting cervids. CWD diagnosis is conducted through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in retropharyngeal lymph nodes. Unfortunately, these techniques have limited sensitivity against the biomarker (CWD-prions). Two in vitro prion amplification techniques, real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), have shown promise in detecting CWD-prions in tissues and bodily fluids. Recent studies have demonstrated that RT-QuIC yields similar results compared to ELISA and IHC. Here, we analyzed 1003 retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) from Texas white-tailed deer. PMCA detected CWD at a higher rate compared to ELISA/IHC, identified different prion strains, and2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Nov2026-06-26T03:24:30.897Z2025-04-05T18:35:47.549ZS-EPMC106565333797831210.1038/s41598-023-47105-9