Scrapie Infectivity in Farmed Fish
Author Information
Author(s): Ingrosso Loredana, Novoa Beatriz, Valle Andrea Z Dalla, Cardone Franco, Aranguren Raquel, Sbriccoli Marco, Bevivino Simona, Iriti Marcello, Liu Quanguo, Vetrugno Vito, Lu Mei, Faoro Franco, Ciappellano Salvatore, Figueras Antonio, Pocchiari Maurizio
Primary Institution: Istituto Superiore di SanitÃ
Hypothesis
Can farmed fish clear scrapie infectivity from their tissues after oral infection?
Conclusion
Scrapie infectivity is quickly removed from fish tissues, indicating a low risk for public health from consuming fish fed with BSE-infected materials.
Supporting Evidence
- Fish tissues showed no signs of scrapie disease after inoculation.
- PrPSc was detected in only a few recipient mice, indicating low infectivity.
- The majority of infectivity was cleared within 24 hours post-infection.
Takeaway
The study found that fish can get rid of harmful scrapie proteins quickly, so eating fish that might have been fed infected food is likely safe.
Methodology
Fish were infected with scrapie and their tissues were analyzed for infectivity over time using bioassays in mice.
Limitations
The study only observed fish for 90 days post-infection, which may not capture long-term effects.
Participant Demographics
Rainbow trout and turbot were used in the study.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.045
Statistical Significance
p = 0.045
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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