Title: Inoculation of Voles, Chinese Hamsters, Gerbils and Guinea-pigs with Scrapie Brain Material
Abstract: The susceptibility to scrapie of certain laboratory animal species was examined. A comparatively high level of susceptibility was shown in the vole in which the disease was characterised by its relatively short incubation period, sudden onset of marked clinical signs and short duration of illness. The Chinese hamster was also susceptible, the period of incubation resembling that in the mouse and being shorter than that in the golden hamster. Gerbils also constituted a potential laboratory model albeit with a longer incubation period. Both the vole and Chinese hamster have potential value for studies on scrapie, particularly in view of their comparatively short incubation periods; use of these new laboratory models may be of interest to those concerned with ultra-structural, tissue culture, cytogenetic and other aspects of scrapie. Furthermore, those concerned with research on degenerative diseases of the central nervous system of man may find these species of interest. The possible relationship between scrapie incubation periods in different species, and the size of the host species, their life spans and metabolic rates are discussed. Clinical scrapie was not observed in guinea-pigs during one year after inoculation with scrapie brain material.
Publication Year: 1972
Publication Date: 1972-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 49
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