TAFS published its first position paper on a non-TSE animal disease today. It is a recommended risk management plan for paratuberculosis and available for download from the TAFS website.
02 July 2009
03 April 2009
Fish study holds hope for CJD drug
We know that rogue prions cause CJD and mad cow disease, but what normally folded prion proteins do has been a mystery, because experimental mice without them are almost normal.
Now Edward Málaga-Trillo and colleagues at the University of Konstanz in Germany have discovered that depriving zebrafish of prions has a much more obvious effect. This holds out hope for future drug development (PLoS Biology, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000055).
Zebrafish have two versions of the protein. Blocking one stops the brain forming correctly; blocking the other stops the cell migration that guides embryo growth. Time-lapse photos show that the prions help cells to signal and stick to each other.
The finding may explain why disrupting normal prion production causes the dementia of CJD. "In fish embryos we see the protein helping cells communicate," Málaga-Trillo told New Scientist. "It may do something analogous in the mammalian brain, such as building synapses. That may be what goes wrong in prion diseases."
The work also means zebrafish might be useful in drug development. Because disrupting prions has such dramatic effects in these embryos, a drug that protects the protein should be easy to identify.
Source: New Scientist, 2699, March 11, 2009
03 February 2009
2 more position papers on TSE updated
Two more updated versions of TAFS Position Papers on TSE have been posted today:
- Testing of cattle for BSE
- Slaughter practices and the dangers of carcase contamination with BSE.
The papers can be downloaded from the TAFS website.
27 January 2009
3 position papers on TSE updated
Three updated versions of TAFS Position Papers on TSE have been posted today:
- BSE in small ruminants
- Transmission of scrapie via milk
- Specified risk materials.
The papers can be downloaded from the TAFS website.
02 January 2009
Metro Group represented in TAFS
As per January 1st, 2009, TAFS welcomes Mr. Hans-Jürgen Matern of MGB Metro, Düsseldorf, Germany, as its latest member.
Mr. Matern is Division Manager Quality Assurance at MGB Metro.
Welcome!
07 November 2008
New website of OIE reference laboratory for paratuberculosis
If you are interested in paratuberculosis, you will either know already or find it good to know now that the Veterinary Research Institute,
In particular the weekly updated list of publications on paratuberculosis/Johne's disease will be very useful for the community.
Source: Centaur news flash information
16 September 2008
New form of 'mad cow' disease could infect humans
- 13 September 2008
- From New Scientist Print Edition.
- Andy Coghlan