| METHOD | This data is not available for free |
| SUBJECT |
Four tests (TSE diag) were evaluated by EU authorities in 1999, & 3 have been approved for use in EU countries. The EU ruled last year that 1 of the 3 postmortem tests would have to be used on all cows showing BSE symptoms, & - beginning later this year – on slaughtered cows over 30 months of age. All 3 approved tests use Ab to detect prions, the infectious proteins that are the proposed cause of mad cow disease, vCJD, & other TSEs. The Ab identify prion protein (PrP) by binding to it selectively. However they bind about equally well to both PrP/Sc (prion protein scrapie), the infectious & protease-resistant form of PrP, & PrP/C, the normal, protease sensitive form of PrP. So before the tests are run any PrP/Sc in a sample must first be separated from the PrP/C inevitably present. The sepn. is carried out by treating brain tissue samples with protease enzymes. PrP/Sc is largely stable in the presence of the enzymes, whereas PrP/C is completely destroyed by them. |
| UPDATE | 04.01 |
| AUTHOR | EU |
| LITERATURE REF. | This data is not available for free |
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