vCJD transfusion-associated Fourth Case UK

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Location: BACLIFF, Texas, United States

My mother was murdered by what I call corporate and political homicide i.e. FOR PROFIT! she died from a rare phenotype of CJD i.e. the Heidenhain Variant of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease i.e. sporadic, simply meaning from unknown route and source. I have simply been trying to validate her death DOD 12/14/97 with the truth. There is a route, and there is a source. There are many here in the USA. WE must make CJD and all human TSE, of all age groups 'reportable' Nationally and Internationally, with a written CJD questionnaire asking real questions pertaining to route and source of this agent. Friendly fire has the potential to play a huge role in the continued transmission of this agent via the medical, dental, and surgical arena. We must not flounder any longer. ...TSS

Saturday, May 14, 2011

USA Blood products, collected from a donor who was at risk for vCJD, were distributed Nationally and Internationally MAY 11, 2011

PRODUCT

1) Red Blood Cells. Recall # B-1215-11;

2) Plasma Frozen. Recall # B-1216-11

CODE

1) and 2) Unit: W071910008550

RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER

So Ca Permamente Med Group Blood Donor Center, Los Angeles, CA, by facsimile and letter on February 01, 2011. Firm initiated recall is complete.

REASON

Blood products, collected from a donor who was at risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed.

VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE

2 units

DISTRIBUTION

CA


___________________________________



PRODUCT

1) Platelets Pheresis Leukocytes Reduced. Recall # B-1235-11;

2) Red Blood Cells (Apheresis). Recall # B-1236-11;

3) Platelets Pheresis Leukocytes Reduced Irradiated. Recall # B-1237-11;

4) Fresh Frozen Plasma (Apheresis). Recall # B-1238-11

CODE

1) Units: FM16083, FM16085, FM23853, FM16158, FM16180, FM25344 (part 1), FM25344 (part 2), FM25353, FM16234, FM16235 (part 1), FM16235 (part 2), FM16235 (part 3);

2) Units: FM16085, FM16180;

3) Unit: FM16085;

4) Unit: FM16180

RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER

Sacramento Medical Foundation, Sacramento, CA, by telephone on August 19, 2004, October 25, 2004 and October 28, 2004. Firm initiated recall is complete.

REASON

Blood products, collected from unsuitable donors based on risk factors for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed.

VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE

16 units

DISTRIBUTION

CA, TN, MA, AZ


___________________________________




PRODUCT

Source Plasma. Recall # B-1275-11

CODE

Units: 07JWIE6717; 07JWIE6226; 07JWIE5416; 07JWIE4636; 07JWIE4074; 07JWIE2386; 07JWIE1783; 07JWID7602; 07JWID7072; 07JWID2830; 07JWID2280; 07JWID1683; 07JWID1149; 07JWID0420; 07JWIC9864; 07JWIC9102; 07JWIC8527; 07JWIC7817 06JWID8466; 06JWID8869; 06JWIE0195; 06JWIE0828 ; 06JWIE1608; 06JWIE1927; 06JWIE2619; 06JWIE2943; 06JWIE3592 ; 06JWIE4190; 06JWIE4779; 06JWIE5392; 06JWIE5762; 06JWIE6218; 06JWIE6577; 07JWIA0385; 07JWIA0858; 06JWIA1602; 07JWIA2048; 07JWIA3215; 07JWIA3495; 07JWIA4652; 07WIA5096; 07JWIB1404 ; 07JWIB1837; 07JWIB2611; 07JWIB3529; 07JWIB3976; 07JWIC4846; 07JWIC5307; 07JWIC5970; 07JWIC6517; 07JWIC7252; 07JWIB5981; 07JWIB7770 07JWIB8514; 07JWIB9064; 07JWIC0083; 07JWIC0561; 07JWIC1550; 07JWIC2286; 07JWIC2808; 07JWIC3548; 07JWIC4104

RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER

Recalling Firm: BioLife Plasma Services LP, Deerfield, IL, by facsimile on December 7, 2007.
Manufacturer: BioLife Plasma Services, L.P., Janesville, WI. Firm initiated recall is complete.

REASON

Blood products, collected from a donor who was at risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), were distributed.

VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE

62 units

DISTRIBUTION

Austria, CA

___________________________________



END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR MAY 11, 2011

#


http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/ucm255019.htm



Friday, May 13,

2011 EFSA Joint Scientific Opinion on any possible epidemiological or molecular association between TSEs in animals and humans

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/05/efsa-joint-scientific-opinion-on-any.html



Tuesday, May 3, 2011

PRION, TSE, typical, atypical BSE, aka mad cow disease, spray dried blood, feed, and a recipe for disaster


http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/05/prion-tse-typical-atypical-bse-aka-mad.html



Sunday, May 01, 2011

STUDY OF ATYPICAL BSE 2010 Annual Report May 2011

http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2011/05/study-of-atypical-bse-2010-annual.html



Sunday, May 1, 2011

W.H.O. T.S.E. PRION Blood products and related biologicals May 2011

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/05/who-tse-prion-blood-products-and.html



Saturday, April 30, 2011

Blood product, collected from a donor who was at risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), was distributed APRIL 27, 2011

http://vcjdtransfusion.blogspot.com/2011/04/blood-product-collected-from-donor-who.html



Saturday, March 5, 2011

MAD COW ATYPICAL CJD PRION TSE CASES WITH CLASSIFICATIONS PENDING ON THE RISE IN NORTH AMERICA

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/03/mad-cow-atypical-cjd-prion-tse-cases.html




TSS

Labels: , ,

Friday, March 19, 2010

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease 18 Mar 2010 : Column 1075 UK PARLIAMENT

18 Mar 2010 : Column 1075

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn. -(Lyn Brown.)

5.52 pm Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley) (Con): Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have this debate, Madam Deputy Speaker, which I have been chasing for a wee while, as I suspect the Minister is aware. I apologise to the Minister that she will be the last man standing this evening-that is not a gender mistake but an old saying. I must declare an interest: I am a very part-time dentist, and this matter faintly touches on that. In fact, dentists have been affected to some degree by the recent rules introduced by the chief dental officer.

I should like to do a little scene-setting, to which I expect the Minister to add. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is rare at the moment, but it is an incurable, fatal human disease that is caused by protein particles called prions. It causes a spongy degeneration of the brain and ultimately death. As I said, there is no cure. In contrast to the traditional forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, vCJD seems today to have affected younger patients. Normally, older patients are affected. That at least appears to be the fact with the original causal link with bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle. However, that cause seems to have been eradicated, so transmission now is predominantly from individual to individual, through blood transfusions, organs or surgical equipment. It is known that the transmission from human to human through, for example, blood transfusion, is 100 times more efficient than from species to species.

Carriers of vCJD frequently spend their whole lives as carriers without developing the disease or even knowing that they are carrying it. Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to detect carriers, many of whom are almost certainly present in the population of regular blood donors and patients who undergo different forms of surgery. Logically, that means that unless extensive preventive measures are combined with detection, the population of carriers must increase, which potentially creates a devastating hidden time bomb of vCJD in the decades ahead.

The estimate of the prevalence of individuals incubating vCJD today varies from one in 4,000 to one in 20,000. That comes from the Hilton study, which is based on tests on tonsils and appendix samples. Perhaps it is more disturbing that the UK and Ireland almost certainly have the largest per head of population reservoir of that prion in the world. That explains why UK citizens and even tourists who have visited the UK are not acceptable as blood donors in many countries. It is thought that the incubation period of vCJD is decades. Indeed, if it is like kuru, a similar disease found in Papua New Guinea, it could have an incubation period of up to 40 years from the time of exposure to onset of symptoms. Regardless of the prevalence, it is almost certain that this country will have a considerable number of cases in years to come.

To make matters worse, because vCJD is so difficult to detect, it is fairly certain that the Hilton study was not 100 per cent. accurate or effective in detecting incubating cases. Having very briefly and in simplistic terms set the scene, it is important now to turn to what the Government can and should be doing to combat this potential disaster which will hit our children and 18 Mar 2010 : Column 1076 grandchildren. Obviously, it would be absolutely fantastic if a cure could be developed tomorrow and an early step made towards a detection method. I hope that Government funding is being made available for that. However, I suspect that we are a long way off from either a cure or a detection method, and prevention of transmission is the utmost priority. Indeed, it is the only thing that we can do at the moment.

With the removal of mad cow disease, transmission now is from individual to individual via blood. The Government have a blood safety advisory body called the Advisory Committee on Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs, or SaBTO for short. In 1998, leucodepletion was introduced by the UK blood service as a first step in reducing variant CJD infectivity. That process filters blood destined for blood transfusion and removes white blood cells. It was a very useful first step, but at best it only provided a 40 to 70 per cent. reduction in infectivity of donated blood.

In July 2009, SaBTO recommended that UK-sourced blood plasma should not be used for transfusion and should be replaced with plasma sourced from other countries with a much lower risk of variant CJD. However, in October the committee recommended the use of a recently developed prion filtration system. That has been produced by Macro-Pharma, a medical device technology company. The filter is called a P-Capt filter and has been designed specifically to work directly with the existing technologies used by the UK blood service. It has been CE marked since 2006, some four years ago. This means that it has passed EU safety and efficacy testing, as required for it to be legally used in the United Kingdom.

The filter has been under review by the predecessor committee to SaBTO since 2004 and also by SaBTO since its formation in January 2008. In October 2009, SaBTO recommended several changes. First, it accepted that there was a recognition that further measures to protect the UK blood supply and prevent the spread of variant CJD through blood transfusions should be introduced. Secondly, it said that there was "now sufficient evidence" that the P-Capt prion reduction filter "reduces infectivity" and successfully cleans blood to remove the infective prions that carry variant CJD.

Next and most significantly, the committee recommended that the P-Capt filter should be introduced for filtering the red cells that will be given as blood transfusions to those born since 1 January 1996, with the rider that that should be subject to the completion of the PRISM-platelet receptor inhibition for ischemic syndrome management-trials. The fourth recommendation was that the requirement for prion filtration should be reviewed in the event that further data on variant CJD prevalence or filter efficacy became available. Although I recognise that the logistics and finance need to be fully assessed, to my mind this is an absolute must and requires considerable urgency. Personally, I see it as a first step towards filtering all blood from all donors. There is absolutely no reason why these initial steps should not be implemented immediately and the PRISM trial continued alongside. Hand in hand with this approach, the Department of Health has introduced other measures in other areas, and I give it credit for doing so.

The other logical means of transmitting the prion is surgery, especially with re-used stainless steel equipment, even if it is sterilised. This concern arises from the fact 18 Mar 2010 : Column 1077 that the prion is extremely difficult to remove from stainless steel and can often survive standard autoclave sterilisation. Even so, when I discussed this with Professor Pennington, who is an expert on the subject, in October 2007, he pointed out that there was no evidence at that time of iatrogenic transmission. That, I suspect, is down to the fact that it is extremely difficult to find the prion and to get any evidence, certainly in the short term.

6 pm Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 9(3)).

Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.- (Lyn Brown.)

Sir Paul Beresford: I suspect that the reason for the professor's opinion is that it is extremely difficult to detect the prion. However, there is a feeling-correctly-that the precautionary principle should be applied, although hopefully in a sensible manner.

With that in mind, I draw the Minister's attention to the decision in April 2007 by the chief dental officer that dentists should not reuse endodontic reamers and files-by that, I mean single-patient use. This, I understand-I may be corrected-was derived from research on mice that were particularly susceptible to variant CJD. The basis of this thinking is that the removal of the prion from stainless steel reamers is difficult, as I think we all accept. Stainless steel reamers are cheap and so not a particular economic problem, even for dentists claiming that their fees are not large enough.

Nowadays, however, most endodontists, or those doing serious amounts of endodontics, are using nickel titanium reamers. A number of specific designs are used in different techniques. Reputable nickel titanium reamers are expensive. I also understand that cleaning the prion off nickel titanium is much easier than taking it off stainless steel. Treatment for a tooth that needs endodontic treatment is therefore made very much more expensive. It is time-consuming if done properly, especially if molar root canal is involved. The unit of dental activity award for molar root canal is small, especially when compared with the alternative treatment, which is extraction using-surprise, surprise-stainless steel forceps, where the same prion difficulty would apply. That might explain the apparent increase in NHS extractions and reduction in NHS endodontics-I expect a letter from the British Dental Association telling me I am wrong.

A number of questions arise. Many stainless steel instruments and burs are used in dentistry, including forceps. If the research on these susceptible mice was so conclusive, one questions why the chief dental officer chose those reamers and whether he thought about extending his ban further. Of course, if he did, he would have to face the problem of probability versus application of the ban versus cost. Should the ban apply only to stainless steel reamers? Should it not be applied to nickel titanium? In 2007 D-Gen and DuPont produced a new prion disinfectant called RelyOn prion inactivator to remove or de-activate the prion on instruments. I would be interested if the Minister could tell me-if not tonight, certainly in a letter-whether that product has been tested, because if so, it would be sensible to introduce its use into the new onerous disinfection and 18 Mar 2010 : Column 1078 sterilization regulations that dentists are now facing, before the regulations are finalised. That would be better than landing it on a beleaguered dental practitioner after he has installed the equipment for major changes that are coming through.

In 2001, the Department of Health allocated £200 million to modernise NHS surgical decontamination, along similar lines to that descending on dentists now. Attempts have been made to produce single-use instruments for some surgery, and I understand that plastic instruments were developed for tonsil surgery but proved a failure. New rules have also been brought in on contact lenses, and it would be interesting to see whether those would be applicable or useful.

However, the way forward has to be blood transfusion filtering. Some 1.8 million blood units are donated in the UK annually, and SaBTO has recommended the immediate P-Capt filtering of all blood for children. In the Prime Minister's letter to me, on 11 February, following my question on this subject, he said that the introduction of the filter should be subject to the satisfactory completion of a clinical trial. I assume that he was referring to the ongoing-long ongoing-PRISM study. I understand that the study is way behind schedule. There are previous studies-I can draw the Minister's attention to them, if they are not in her notes-and, as I have said, the filter has a CE mark.

I ask the Minister to move now on blood filtering, initially for children and then for all. If it is good enough for the Department of Health to use the precautionary principle for endodontic files after questionable thought, the same principle should be applied to blood transfusion filtering. Action on endodontic files is essentially fiddling around the edges. Blood transfusion filtering is central to reducing or stopping blood transfusion transference of prions, to the benefit of future generations. I am sure Health Ministers would not like to be named in what I will call an "If only we had" report in 20 to 40 years, when people are dying from variant CJD.

6.5 pm The Minister of State, Department of Health (Gillian Merron): I congratulate the hon. Member for Mole Valley (Sir Paul Beresford) on securing this debate, and on his thoughtful and well-informed comments. I am glad to have this opportunity to update the House on the latest developments.

We can be thankful that the number of variant CJD cases in this country has so far been relatively low. Every case is serious, however, and devastating for the individuals and families involved. I want to express my deepest sympathy for all those whose lives have been affected by this traumatic and tragic illness. There remains much to learn about the disease. We do not know how many people are potentially infected, and we do not know the maximum incubation period, or how the disease progresses through the body.

The House will recall that the consensus on the origins of this terrible disease, which is fatal, is that people unknowingly ate meat that was contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The BSE controls that were introduced from 1989 minimised the risks of infection from cattle. Our focus now is on reducing the risk of person-to-person transmission, and on caring 18 Mar 2010 : Column 1079 for those who are already infected. I can give the hon. Gentleman the assurance that the Government are currently spending more than £7.5 million on variant CJD surveillance and research every year. It is true, however, that with so many unknowns still surrounding the disease, we must remain both cautious and vigilant. We must follow the evidence, and we must also ensure that any new measures that we introduce are safe and proportionate. These principles underpin everything that we have done on variant CJD.

The hon. Gentleman made a number of important comments about dentistry and about variant CJD. I appreciate that he speaks from a position of rather more personal and professional expertise than I do on this matter. There are no known cases of variant CJD being transmitted through dentistry, but, as the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee has noted, studies using BSE in mice suggest that there is a potential risk of infection from oral tissue, as the hon. Gentleman suggested. The risk is difficult to quantify, but, given the seriousness of the disease, it is only right that we take precautions, especially when those precautions bring wider, additional benefits.

As the health technical memorandum and the British Dental Association's recent advice sheet on infection control make clear, the risks posed by variant CJD and other infections demand the most rigorous measures to prevent cross-infection. That is why we have issued guidance that encourages the use of automated washer disinfectors, which remove the worst contamination from dental instruments and ensure greater consistency and containment in cleaning. Although the guidance is part of our precautionary approach to variant CJD, it serves a dual purpose by improving overall standards of dental decontamination.

It is important to recognise that the guidance is the result of consultation with the dental profession, and that the British Dental Association was fully involved in its development. It is also important to note that that is just one of the actions that we have taken to manage risks in dentistry. In April 2007, the chief dental officer wrote to all dentists advising them that certain instruments that are difficult to clean should be made single-use. As I mentioned earlier, when it comes to managing risk in dentistry, we must always follow the evidence.

Sir Paul Beresford: At almost the moment when that instruction was conveyed to all dentists, the British Dental Journal-the journal of the British Dental Association-published a report which pointed out that forceps posed just as big a danger as files. That is extraordinary. I should be grateful if the Minister would look at some of the comments that I have made about it, and then write to me.

Gillian Merron: I shall be happy to look at all the comments that the hon. Gentleman has made this evening. I hope that my response will satisfy him, but I shall give further consideration to any issues that require it.

It is because of the importance of following evidence-this may be relevant to what the hon. Gentleman has just said-that we keep all precautionary measures under review, and have commissioned further research on the effectiveness of automated washer disinfectors and the disinfectant agents used in them. We expect the performance of AWDs to improve significantly in the coming years.

18 Mar 2010 : Column 1080

The hon. Gentleman raised important issues relating to potential transmission of variant CJD transmission via blood. The safety of blood and blood products used in the NHS is of the highest importance, and we take every reasonable known precaution to cut the risk of transmission. In 1997, we recalled all blood and tissue donated by people who later developed variant CJD. In 1998, we arranged for plasma to be procured from non-UK sources. In 1999, we introduced leucodepletion for all donations, ensuring that white blood cells are removed from donated blood. There have been no reported transmissions from blood treated in that way.

In 2002, we announced that fresh frozen plasma for treating infants and young children would be obtained from the United States and purchased a US-based plasma collection company. In 2004, we announced that people who had received whole blood transfusions since 1980 would no longer be allowed to donate blood, and we introduced new measures to protect patients who had received some plasma products. In 2005, we extended the use of American-sourced plasma to all children up to the age of 16, and started a notification scheme to track people who had donated blood to three individuals who later developed variant CJD. We have also made synthetic clotting agents available for haemophiliacs. I hope that that record demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring that at all stages-from procurement and donation to supply and distribution-we have taken every possible action to minimise the risk of variant CJD transmission.

The hon. Gentleman asked about the Government's position on prion filtration. The independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs recently expressed the view that there is now sufficient evidence that a particular filter can reduce potential infectivity in a unit of red blood cells, and has recommended the introduction of filtered blood to treat those born since 1 January 1996. Subject to satisfactory completion of a clinical trial to assess safety, the Government are undertaking an evaluation of the costs, benefits and impacts in order to inform a decision on whether to implement the recommendation. The rationale for the introduction of filtered blood to treat those born before 1 January 1996 is that members of that age group will not have been exposed to BSE by their diet.

We are conducting additional clinical safety trials because, as I have said, we want to ensure-as the House would expect us to-that issues of quality and safety are fully assessed before consideration is given to whether effective prion filtration technologies should be introduced. The clinical studies that have been undertaken so far involve the transfusion of filtered blood into healthy volunteers. Because those studies do not provide enough assurance about the safety of transfusing filtered blood into patients with medical conditions, studies of cardiac surgery and transfusion-dependent patients have been commissioned. I hope that the ongoing trials will be completed by the end of the year. The impact assessment will inform Ministers, who will be interested to look at the evidence.

The hon. Gentleman, a number of other Members and also campaign groups have raised the issue of the calling for routine vCJD testing of blood donors and/or donated blood. Although some blood tests are in development, none of them are currently suitable for use. However, if there were an effective and accurate test, we would, of course, consider it.

18 Mar 2010 : Column 1081

On care for vCJD sufferers, although there is no known treatment, the Department of Health has set up services and a care package fund to help patients and their families. The care fund is administered by the national CJD surveillance unit, and it is used to support patients in the community and to pay for those elements of their care that cannot be readily supplied by local health and social services, such as housing adaptation, additional nursing care, and access to an adapted motor vehicle. The fund is available for people with all types of CJD in any part of the UK, and it is not subject to cash limits.

I thank the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate on such an important issue. I hope he will be reassured that we continue to do everything we can to reduce the risk of transmission of vCJD between people and are pursuing a policy that is grounded in practicality and 18 Mar 2010 : Column 1082 based on evidence. We continue to invest in research that is focused on improvements in decontamination, testing and treatment. We have taken progressive action to reduce the risk from vCJD in the procurement, supply and delivery of blood products. We have developed guidance on surgical and dental instruments, which ensures that cleaning is of the highest technical standard, and which is to be continually audited. We are closely monitoring new clinical developments, whether on filtration or a blood test for vCJD. We also, of course, intend to keep all precautionary measures under review as and when new evidence emerges.

I hope my remarks serve to reassure the hon. Gentleman that this is an open book and that our work is continuing.

Question put and agreed to.

6.17 pm House adjourned.


SKROLL DOWN TO ;




18 Mar 2010 : Column 1075

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease




http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100318/debtext/100318-0020.htm#10031848000004





http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100318/debtext/100318-0021.htm





WHAT ABOUT BLOOD HERE FROM THE USA, AND ANY RISK THERE FROM I.E. PRION TSE ???


regarding Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and the atypical's i.e. the L-BSE, and the H-BSE (not including the IBNC BSE OR THE TYPICAL UK? C-BSE), the L-BSE is more virulent than the typical UK? c-BSE, and the H-BSE has now shown it can kill humans via laboratory studies i.e. (Kong et al 2009).

for anyone wanting to know the truth and the sound science, and not just industry junk science, please see below ;

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Atypical BSE North America Update February 2009

Both of the BSE cases ascertained in the US native-born cattle were atypical cases (H-type), which contributed to the initial ambiguity of the diagnosis. 174, 185 In Canada, there have been 2 atypical BSE cases in addition to the 14 cases of the classic UK strain of BSE2: one was the H-type, and the other was of the L-type.198

snip...end

source :

Enhanced Abstract Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association January 1, 2009, Vol. 234, No. 1, Pages 59-72

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Jane L. Harman, DVM, PhD; Christopher J. Silva, PhD

http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/ref/10.2460/javma.234.1.59


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/04/transmission-of-atypical-bovine.html


Atypical BSE North America Update February 2009

http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/02/atypical-bse-north-america-update.html


Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 3:23 PM

Subject: 14th International Congress on Infectious Diseases H-type and L-type Atypical BSE January 2010 (special pre-congress edition)

18.173 page 189

Experimental Challenge of Cattle with H-type and L-type Atypical BSE

A. Buschmann1, U. Ziegler1, M. Keller1, R. Rogers2, B. Hills3, M.H. Groschup1. 1Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany, 2Health Canada, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Products & Food Branch, Ottawa, Canada, 3Health Canada, Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Secretariat, Ottawa, Canada

Background: After the detection of two novel BSE forms designated H-type and L-type atypical BSE the question of the pathogenesis and the agent distribution of these two types in cattle was fully open. From initial studies of the brain pathology, it was already known that the anatomical distribution of L-type BSE differs from that of the classical type where the obex region in the brainstem always displays the highest PrPSc concentrations. In contrast in L-type BSE cases, the thalamus and frontal cortex regions showed the highest levels of the pathological prion protein, while the obex region was only weakly involved.

Methods:We performed intracranial inoculations of cattle (five and six per group) using 10%brainstemhomogenates of the two German H- and L-type atypical BSE isolates. The animals were inoculated under narcosis and then kept in a free-ranging stable under appropriate biosafety conditions. At least one animal per group was killed and sectioned in the preclinical stage and the remaining animals were kept until they developed clinical symptoms. The animals were examined for behavioural changes every four weeks throughout the experiment following a protocol that had been established during earlier BSE pathogenesis studies with classical BSE.

Results and Discussion: All animals of both groups developed clinical symptoms and had to be euthanized within 16 months. The clinical picture differed from that of classical BSE, as the earliest signs of illness were loss of body weight and depression. However, the animals later developed hind limb ataxia and hyperesthesia predominantly and the head. Analysis of brain samples from these animals confirmed the BSE infection and the atypical Western blot profile was maintained in all animals. Samples from these animals are now being examined in order to be able to describe the pathogenesis and agent distribution for these novel BSE types. Conclusions: A pilot study using a commercially avaialble BSE rapid test ELISA revealed an essential restriction of PrPSc to the central nervous system for both atypical BSE forms. A much more detailed analysis for PrPSc and infectivity is still ongoing.

http://www.isid.org/14th_icid/


http://ww2.isid.org/Downloads/IMED2009_AbstrAuth.pdf


http://www.isid.org/publications/ICID_Archive.shtml



14th ICID International Scientific Exchange Brochure -

Final Abstract Number: ISE.114

Session: International Scientific Exchange

Transmissible Spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) animal and human TSE in North America

update October 2009

T. Singeltary

Bacliff, TX, USA

Background:

An update on atypical BSE and other TSE in North America. Please remember, the typical U.K. c-BSE, the atypical l-BSE (BASE), and h-BSE have all been documented in North America, along with the typical scrapie's, and atypical Nor-98 Scrapie, and to date, 2 different strains of CWD, and also TME. All these TSE in different species have been rendered and fed to food producing animals for humans and animals in North America (TSE in cats and dogs ?), and that the trading of these TSEs via animals and products via the USA and Canada has been immense over the years, decades.

Methods:

12 years independent research of available data

Results:

I propose that the current diagnostic criteria for human TSEs only enhances and helps the spreading of human TSE from the continued belief of the UKBSEnvCJD only theory in 2009. With all the science to date refuting it, to continue to validate this old myth, will only spread this TSE agent through a multitude of potential routes and sources i.e. consumption, medical i.e., surgical, blood, dental, endoscopy, optical, nutritional supplements, cosmetics etc.

Conclusion:

I would like to submit a review of past CJD surveillance in the USA, and the urgent need to make all human TSE in the USA a reportable disease, in every state, of every age group, and to make this mandatory immediately without further delay. The ramifications of not doing so will only allow this agent to spread further in the medical, dental, surgical arena's. Restricting the reporting of CJD and or any human TSE is NOT scientific. Iatrogenic CJD knows NO age group, TSE knows no boundaries. I propose as with Aguzzi, Asante, Collinge, Caughey, Deslys, Dormont, Gibbs, Gajdusek, Ironside, Manuelidis, Marsh, et al and many more, that the world of TSE Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy is far from an exact science, but there is enough proven science to date that this myth should be put to rest once and for all, and that we move forward with a new classification for human and animal TSE that would properly identify the infected species, the source species, and then the route.


http://ww2.isid.org/Downloads/14th_ICID_ISE_Abstracts.pdf


International Society for Infectious Diseases Web: http://www.isid.org

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Human Prion Diseases in the United States January 1, 2010 ***FINAL***


http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2010/01/human-prion-diseases-in-united-states.html


my comments to PLosone here ;

http://www.plosone.org/annotation/listThread.action?inReplyTo=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fannotation%2F04ce2b24-613d-46e6-9802-4131e2bfa6fd&root=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fannotation%2F04ce2b24-613d-46e6-9802-4131e2bfa6fd


Friday, February 05, 2010

New Variant Creutzfelt Jakob Disease case reports United States 2010 A Review

http://vcjd.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-variant-creutzfelt-jakob-disease.html


Sunday, February 14, 2010

[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

http://bseusa.blogspot.com/2010/02/docket-no-fsis-2006-0011-fsis-harvard.html


Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Transmissible Spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) animal and human TSE in North America 14th

ICID International Scientific Exchange Brochure -

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2010/02/transmissible-spongiform-encephalopathy.html


TSE

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2010/01/14th-international-congress-on.html


P26 TRANSMISSION OF ATYPICAL BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE) IN HUMANIZED MOUSE MODELS

Liuting Qing1, Fusong Chen1, Michael Payne1, Wenquan Zou1, Cristina Casalone2, Martin Groschup3, Miroslaw Polak4, Maria Caramelli2, Pierluigi Gambetti1, Juergen Richt5*, and Qingzhong Kong1 1Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; 2CEA, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, Italy; 3Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany; 4National Veterinary Research Institute, Poland; 5Kansas State University, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology Department, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA. *Previous address: USDA National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA 50010, USA

Classical BSE is a world-wide prion disease in cattle, and the classical BSE strain (BSE-C) has led to over 200 cases of clinical human infection (variant CJD). Two atypical BSE strains, BSE-L (also named BASE) and BSE-H, have been discovered in three continents since 2004. The first case of naturally occurring BSE with mutated bovine PrP gene (termed BSE-M) was also found in 2006 in the USA. The transmissibility and phenotypes of these atypical BSE strains/isolates in humans were unknown. We have inoculated humanized transgenic mice with classical and atypical BSE strains (BSE-C, BSE-L, BSE-H) and the BSE-M isolate. We have found that the atypical BSE-L strain is much more virulent than the classical BSE-C. The atypical BSE-H strain is also transmissible in the humanized transgenic mice with distinct phenotype, but no transmission has been observed for the BSE-M isolate so far.

III International Symposium on THE NEW PRION BIOLOGY: BASIC SCIENCE, DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY 2 - 4 APRIL 2009, VENEZIA (ITALY)

http://www.istitutoveneto.it/prion_09/Abstracts_09.pdf


Monday, October 19, 2009

Atypical BSE, BSE, and other human and animal TSE in North America Update October 19, 2009

snip...

I ask Professor Kong ;

Thursday, December 04, 2008 3:37 PM Subject: RE: re--Chronic Wating Disease (CWD) and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathies (BSE): Public Health Risk Assessment

''IS the h-BSE more virulent than typical BSE as well, or the same as cBSE, or less virulent than cBSE? just curious.....''

Professor Kong reply ;

.....snip

''As to the H-BSE, we do not have sufficient data to say one way or another, but we have found that H-BSE can infect humans. I hope we could publish these data once the study is complete.

Thanks for your interest.''

Best regards,

Qingzhong Kong, PhD Associate Professor Department of Pathology Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 44106 USA

END...TSS

I look forward to further transmission studies, and a true ENHANCED BSE/atypical BSE surveillance program put forth testing all cattle for human and animal consumption for 5 years. a surveillance program that uses the most sensitive TSE testing, and has the personnel that knows how to use them, and can be trusted. I look forward to a stringent mad cow feed ban being put forth, and then strictly enforced. we need a forced, not voluntary feed ban, an enhanced feed ban at that, especially excluding blood. we need some sort of animal traceability. no more excuses about privacy. if somebody is putting out a product that is killing folks and or has the potential to kill you, then everybody needs to know who they are, and where that product came from. same with hospitals, i think medical incidents in all states should be recorded, and made public, when it comes to something like a potential accidental transmission exposure event. so if someone is out there looking at a place to go have surgery done, if you have several hospitals having these type 'accidental exposure events', than you can go some place else. it only makes sense. somewhere along the road, the consumer lost control, and just had to take whatever they were given, and then charged these astronomical prices. some where along the line the consumer just lost interest, especially on a long incubating disease such as mad cow disease i.e. Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy. like i said before, there is much more to the mad cow story than bovines and eating a hamburger, we must start focusing on all TSE in all species. ...TSS


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/10/atypical-bse-bse-and-other-human-and.html


Sunday, September 6, 2009

MAD COW USA 1997 SECRET VIDEO

http://madcowusda.blogspot.com/2009/09/mad-cow-usa-1997-video.html


U.S.A. HIDING MAD COW DISEASE VICTIMS AS SPORADIC CJD ? see video at bottom

http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2009/07/usa-hiding-mad-cow-disease-victims-as.html


DAMNING TESTIMONY FROM STANLEY PRUSINER THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER ON PRIONS SPEAKING ABOUT ANN VENEMAN see video

http://maddeer.org/video/embedded/prusinerclip.html




The most recent assessments (and reassessments) were published in June 2005 (Table I; 18), and included the categorisation of Canada, the USA, and Mexico as GBR III. Although only Canada and the USA have reported cases, the historically open system of trade in North America suggests that it is likely that BSE is present also in Mexico.


http://www.oie.int/boutique/extrait/06heim937950.pdf




Thursday, January 14, 2010

SAMPLE COLLECTION FROM CATTLE UNDER THE BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE) ONGOING SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM FSIS NOTICE 05-10 1/12/10

http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2010/01/sample-collection-from-cattle-under.html




2009 UPDATE ON ALABAMA AND TEXAS MAD COWS 2005 and 2006


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2006/08/bse-atypical-texas-and-alabama-update.html



Monday, October 19, 2009


Atypical BSE, BSE, and other human and animal TSE in North America Update October 19, 2009


http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/10/atypical-bse-bse-and-other-human-and.html



Monday, November 23, 2009

BSE GBR RISK ASSESSMENTS UPDATE NOVEMBER 23, 2009 COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND O.I.E.


http://docket-aphis-2006-0041.blogspot.com/2009/11/bse-gbr-risk-assessments-update.html



Tuesday, July 14, 2009

U.S. Emergency Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Response Plan Summary and BSE Red Book Date: February 14, 2000 at 8:56 am PST

WHERE did we go wrong $$$


http://madcowtesting.blogspot.com/2009/07/us-emergency-bovine-spongiform.html




THANKS to the USDA, the OIE, and apparently the WTO, the BSE GBR risk assessments were trashed, and a more industry friendly trading of prions were brought forth with the BSE MRR region, which simply made legal the trading of all strains of TSE in all animals from all Countries legal. THUS they chose to expose us all to the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy, and especially the atypical TSE, which they have exempted from any regulation what so ever. even with evidence to show that these atypical TSEs are transmissible, they still chose to expose humans, rather than interrupt their trading there of $ and the pass if forward and or friendly fire there from, this blunder of global exposure to the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy from the OIE, the USDA, and apparently the WTO will live on in infamy. ...TSS




AUSTRALIA

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Proof Committee Hansard

SENATE RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT REFERENCES COMMITTEE Reference: Import restrictions on beef

FRIDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2010 CANBERRA CONDITIONS OF DISTRIBUTION

This is an uncorrected proof of evidence taken before the committee. It is made available under the condition that it is recognised as such. BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE [PROOF COPY] TO EXPEDITE DELIVERY, THIS TRANSCRIPT HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

SNIP...

Friday, 5 February 2010 Senate RRA&T 1

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT

Committee met at 9.01 am

CHAIR (Senator Nash)—I declare open this public hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee. The committee is hearing evidence on the committee’s inquiry into the impact and consequences of the government’s decision to relax import restrictions on beef. Before the committee starts taking evidence I remind all witnesses that, in giving evidence to the committee, they are protected by parliamentary privilege. It is unlawful for anyone to threaten or disadvantage a witness on account of evidence given to a committee and such action may be treated by the Senate as a contempt. It is also a contempt to give false or misleading evidence to a committee. The committee prefers all evidence to be given in public but, under the Senate’s resolutions, witnesses have the right to request to be heard in private session. It is important that witnesses give the committee notice if they intend to ask to give evidence in camera. If a witness objects to answering a question, the witness should state the ground upon which the objection is taken and the committee will determine whether it will insist on an answer, having regard to the ground which is claimed. If the committee determines to insist on an answer, a witness may request that the answer be given in camera. Such a request may, of course, also been made at any other time. On behalf of the committee, I thank all those who have made submissions and sent representatives here today for their cooperation in this inquiry.

RRA&T 2 Senate Friday, 5 February 2010

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT

[9.03 am]

BELLINGER, Mr Brad, Chairman, Australian Beef Association

CARTER, Mr John Edward, Director, Australian Beef Association

CHAIR—Welcome. Would you like to make an opening statement?

Mr Bellinger—Thank you. The ABA stands by its submission, which we made on 14 December last year, that the decision made by the government to allow the importation of beef from BSE affected countries is politically based, not science based. During this hearing we will bring forward compelling new evidence to back up this statement. When I returned to my property after the December hearing I received a note from an American citizen. I will read a small excerpt from the mail he sent me in order to reinforce the dangers of allowing the importation of beef from BSE affected countries. I have done a number of press releases on this topic, and this fellow has obviously picked my details up from the internet. His name is Terry Singeltary and he is from Bacliff, Texas. He states, and rightfully so:

You should be worried. Please let me explain. I’ve kept up with the mad cow saga for 12 years today, on December 14th 1997, some four months post voluntary and partial mad cow feed ban in the USA, I lost my mother to the Heinemann variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). I know this is just another phenotype of the infamous sporadic CJDs. Here in the USA, when USA sheep scrapie was transmitted to USA bovine, the agent was not UK BSE—it was a different strain. So why then would human TSE from USA cattle look like UK CJD from UK BSE? It would not. So this accentuates that the science is inconclusive still on this devastating disease. He goes on to state:

The OIE— the International Organisation of Epizootics, the arm of the WTO— is a failed global agent that in my opinion is bought off via bogus regulations for global trade and industry reps. I have done this all these years for nothing but the truth. I am a consumer, I eat meat, but I do not have to sit idly by and see the ignorance and greed of it all while countless numbers of humans and animals are being exposed to the TSE agents. All the USA is interested in is trade, nothing else matters.

Even Dr Stanley Prusiner, who incidentally won the Nobel Health Prize in 1997 for his work on the prion—he invented the word ‘prion’, or it came from him—states:

The BSC policy was set up for one purpose only, trade—the illegal trading of all strains of TSE globally throughout North America, which is home to CBSC, IBSC and HBSC, many scrapie strains and two strains of CJD to date. (please note typo error, those should have read cBSE, lBSE, and hBSE...tss)

I would also like, while I have the opportunity, to explain the beef-off-the-shelves myth. At the first Senate hearing on 14 December, it was explained that the reason why they allowed BSC beef into Australia was the beef-off-the-shelves policy, whereby if we found a case of BSC in Australia they would have to recall all—

Friday, 5 February 2010 Senate RRA&T 3

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT

Senator HEFFERNAN—Which of course is total BS.

Mr Bellinger—Correct. This is written in the FSANZ document—Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Why isn’t this same policy in New Zealand? It is not—it is only in Australia. We are the only country in the world to have this idiotic policy. So we again call for the tabling of the WTO obligations paperwork. We do not believe that exists.

Mr Carter—We have an additional concern about human health. We are not scientists, but on 18 December, four days after the last hearing here, the BBC reported a new wave of deaths due to variant CJD linked to eating BSE infected beef could be underway. This is based on the work of Professor John Collinge of the National Prion Clinic, who reported that a 2009 death in Scotland was from a different genetic pool to that of the 166 deaths already reported in the UK. Those are all thought to share one gene, but Professor Collinge and his colleagues estimate that up to 350 people in this new group, represented by the person who died in Scotland, could get CJD. He thinks that CJD has moved into a new phase, and the incubation period is a long one. We tender the Australian Red Cross donor policy sheet, which bears out what Senator Back brought up last time, questioning the Chief Medical Officer, and we say that blood from people who were in the UK between 1980 and 1996 is not acceptable. That is the current ruling. We believe this now should be extended to anyone who has visited the UK, and this new evidence should ensure that Australia revisits the science of CJD.

CHAIR—Thank you, Mr Carter. Before we kick off, can I just remind colleagues that we are short of time today, so I ask that we do not traverse ground the we have previously covered and make sure that we stick to new information that is required. Mr Bellinger, when you started you referred to your view that this decision to allow the importation was politically based. I know you are going to go into this in the course of the next 20 minutes or so, but could you just give us a quick outline of what your definition of politically based is and why you think the decision was politically based?

Mr Bellinger—On the lowering of BSE standards: if you go back to 2006, for example, there were five categories for describing countries that had BSE and Australia was in the category for BSE free. Suddenly, by the time the United States got their third instance of BSE, through the influence of Robert Zoellick—who was the trade minister that signed the BSE corresponding side letter in 2004 and was George Bush’s appointment to the WTO—they suddenly changed the five categories to three categories and, instead of being BSE free, Australia became BSE negligible risk. At the time I put out a press release alerting the media to the dangers of this happening, and we are coming to the stage here when suddenly our government is saying, ‘Now let’s allow the importation of beef from BSE affected countries.’ I believe that the WTO has been influenced by large multinational meat processors and retailers to change and allow the trading of BSE beef throughout the world.

CHAIR—Thanks, Mr Bellinger.

Mr Carter—Of course, the side letter that Minister Vaile signed was at the request of Mr Zoellick, who is now in the position that Mr Bellinger has explained.

Senator HEFFERNAN—I just want to put the committee on notice that, if we do not get through what we have got to get through today, I suggest we have another hearing, because this

RRA&T 4 Senate Friday, 5 February 2010

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT

is the greatest ambush of Australia’s farmers of all time by a government. The evidence given at the last meeting was deadset lies. The proposition that this whole change of government policy was led by the industry is a deadset lie. While Simon Crean might want to change his mind because of the WTO and his lack of knowledge, the Australian beef industry, as you know, is under great challenge, not only from the currency but also from the undermining of our markets. This is a disgrace.



SNIP...PLEASE SEE FULL TEXT ;



*************


Tuesday, March 16, 2010


COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Hansard Import restrictions on beef FRIDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2010 AUSTRALIA

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Proof Committee Hansard



snip...see full text 110 pages ;

http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/commttee/S12742.pdf




for those interested, please see much more here ;


http://docket-aphis-2006-0041.blogspot.com/2010/03/commonwealth-of-australia-hansard.html




PRODUCT Fresh Frozen Plasma. Recall # B-0526-10 CODE Unit: 5391172 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Florida's Blood Centers, Inc., Orlando, FL, by email on April 2, 2008. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood product, collected from a donor considered to be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), was distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 1 unit DISTRIBUTION Austria ___________________________________

PRODUCT Recovered Plasma. Recall # B-0656-10 CODE Units: W087908654400; W087909651903; W087909652963; W087909654017; W087909650769 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Recalling Firm: Community Blood Bank of Lancaster County Medical Society, Lincoln, NB, by fax on October 8, 2009. Manufacturer: Community Blood Bank of Lancaster County, Lincoln, NB. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor considered to be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 5 units DISTRIBUTION Austria ___________________________________

PRODUCT 1) Recovered Plasma. Recall # B-0735-10; 2) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced. Recall # B-0736-10 CODE 1) and 2) Unit: 2326023 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Central California Blood Center, Fresno, CA, by e-mail on September 3, 2009. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor considered to be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION Austria, CA ___________________________________

PRODUCT Source Plasma. Recall # B-0756-10 CODE Units: 08BINA6632, 08BINA6272, 08BINA5693, 08BINA5363, 08BINA2801, 08BINA2194, 08BINA1611, 08BINA1231, 08BINA0740, 08BINA0371, 07BINE2632, 07BINE2000, 07BINE1705, 07BINE1128, 07BINE0364, 07BIND9904, 07BIND9112, 07BIND8528, 07BIND8381, 07BIND7827, 07BIND7469, 07BIND6735, 07BIND6397, 07BIND5813, 07BIND5492 and 07BIND4515 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER BioLife Plasma Services, L.P, Bloomington, IN, by facsimile on February 13, 2009. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which was collected from an unsuitable donor based on risk factors for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 26 units DISTRIBUTION IL ___________________________________

END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR MARCH 17, 2010

#

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/ucm205038.htm


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Agents: Safe Working and the Prevention of Infection: Part 4 REVISED FEB. 2010


http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2010/03/transmissible-spongiform-encephalopathy.html



Friday, January 22, 2010

nvCJD Clause 2 : Blood donations


http://vcjdtransfusion.blogspot.com/2010/01/nvcjd-clause-2-blood-donations.html




Monday, February 22, 2010

Further waves of vCJD predicted 22 February 2010


http://vcjdtransfusion.blogspot.com/2010/02/further-waves-of-vcjd-predicted-22.html




Friday, February 19, 2010

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) biannual update (2010/1)


http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2010/02/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-cjd-biannual.html



Monday, May 19, 2008

SPORADIC CJD IN FARMERS, FARMERS WIVES, FROM FARMS WITH BSE HERD AND ABATTOIRS


http://bseinquiry.blogspot.com/



Sunday, August 10, 2008

A New Prionopathy OR more of the same old BSe and sporadic CJD


http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-prionopathy-or-more-of-same-old-bse.html




Friday, February 05, 2010

New Variant Creutzfelt Jakob Disease case reports United States 2010 A Review


http://vcjd.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-variant-creutzfelt-jakob-disease.html






Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
P.O. Box 42
Bacliff, Texas USA 77518

Labels: , , , , , ,

Thursday, April 02, 2009

MORE Blood products collected from a donor considered to be at increased risk for vCJD, were distributed USA APRIL 1, 2009

PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells, Recall # B-0659-09; b) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-0660-09; c) Platelets, Recall # B-0661-09 CODE a) and b) Units: KX07877; KX05639; c) KX05639 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Mid-South Regional Blood Center , Memphis , TN , by letter beginning July 10, 2008. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor considered to be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 5 units DISTRIBUTION TN

___________________________________


PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-0684-09; b) Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-0685-09 CODE a) and b) Units: 6165539, 6184317 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center , San Antonio , TX , by fax and e-mail on November 25, 2008 and as follow-up by fax on February 5, 2009. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor with risk factors for vCJD, were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 4 units DISTRIBUTION TX, Austria

___________________________________


END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR APRIL 1, 2009



http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ENFORCE/2009/ENF01101.html




sadly, that was no April fools joke.

COMPARING THE RELATIVE RISK OF vCJD TRANSMISSION VIA PLASMA

The Department of Health asked SEAC for advice on a methodology for assessing the risks of using single unit plasma as opposed to pooled plasma, either sourced from the UK or non-UK source countries.

SEAC noted that there are many large uncertainties around the potential risk of transmission of vCJD via the use of plasma products. However, as the relative risks (as opposed to absolute risks) posed by plasma products were being estimated, uncertainties around the timing, level and distribution of infectivity in blood of an infected person would not appreciably affect the estimations. The best way to manage other major uncertainties, such as those around the prevalence of vCJD in the UK and other countries, would be to develop a range of scenarios incorporating reasonable high and low value estimates for such parameters.

vCJD INFECTION IN A HAEMOPHILIAC AT POST MORTEM

SEAC considered data from investigations of a Haemophilia patient who had been shown on post mortem to have the abnormal prion protein associated with vCJD in his spleen (as reported recently by the Health Protection Agency2). In view of the fact that preliminary unpublished data were considered, this issue was discussed in a reserved business session in accordance with the SEAC Code of Practice.

SEAC agreed that, although the patient had not shown clinical signs of vCJD prior to death, this finding provides evidence of vCJD infection. It would appear more likely at this stage that the infection occurred from the administration of clotting factors prepared from the plasma of a donor who had later developed vCJD than from dietary exposure to BSE.



http://www.seac.gov.uk/summaries/seac102_summary.pdf



update ;

2009 31 March 2009 - A summary of the 102nd SEAC meeting (35 KB) held on 4th March 2009

snip...

SEAC noted that IBNC appeared to be a rare disease that occurred in older cattle, predominantly as single cases, although it is possible that surveillance may not detect all cases. Biochemical studies suggested that the prion protein may play a role in the disease. However, it is unclear whether the normal form of the protein or an abnormal form is involved. Studies are required to determine whether IBNC is transmissible or not. SEAC concluded, noting that specified risk material controls are in place to prevent cattle brain from entering the food supply, that current data on IBNC do not suggest it presents a risk to human health.



http://www.seac.gov.uk/summaries/seac102_summary.pdf



stupid is, as stupid does. (forest gump). ...TSS


>>> All of the 15 cattle tested showed that the brains had abnormally accumulated prion protein. <<<


Saturday, February 28, 2009

NEW RESULTS ON IDIOPATHIC BRAINSTEM NEURONAL CHROMATOLYSIS "All of the 15 cattle tested showed that the brains had abnormally accumulated PrP" 2009

SEAC 102/2



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-results-on-idiopathic-brainstem.html



''THE LINE TO TAKE'' ON IBNC $$$ 1995 $$$

1995

page 9 of 14 ;

30. The Committee noted that the results were unusual. the questioned whether there could be coincidental BSE infection or contamination with scrapie. Dr. Tyrell noted that the feeling of the committee was that this did not represent a new agent but it was important to be prepared to say something publicly about these findings. A suggested line to take was that these were scientifically unpublishable results but in line with the policy of openness they would be made publicly available and further work done to test their validity. Since the BSE precautions were applied to IBNC cases, human health was protected. Further investigations should be carried out on isolations from brains of IBNC cases with removal of the brain and subsequent handling under strict conditions to avoid the risk of any contamination.

31. Mr. Bradley informed the Committee that the CVO had informed the CMO about the IBNC results and the transmission from retina and he, like the Committee was satisfied that the controls already in place or proposed were adequate. ...

snip... see full text



http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/yb/1995/06/21005001.pdf



Sunday, February 15, 2009

Scientists warn of first ever case of human mad cow disease from blood plasma



http://vcjdtransfusion.blogspot.com/2009/02/scientists-warn-of-first-ever-case-of.html



http://vcjdtransfusion.blogspot.com/2009/02/scientists-warn-of-first-ever-case-of.html



Thursday, March 19, 2009

MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF MAD COW FEED IN COMMERCE USA



http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2009/03/millions-and-millions-of-pounds-of-mad.html



Saturday, January 24, 2009

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy h-BSE ATYPICAL USA 2008 Annual Report Research Project: Study of Atypical Bse

Location: Virus and Prion Diseases of Livestock

2008 Annual Report



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/01/bovine-spongiform-encephalopathy-h-bse.html



Thursday, December 04, 2008 2:37 PM

"we have found that H-BSE can infect humans."

personal communication with Professor Kong. ...TSS

see full text ;



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/02/atypical-bse-north-america-update.html



Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories Fifth Edition 2007 (occupational exposure to prion diseases)



http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2008/08/biosafety-in-microbiological-and.html



Sunday, August 10, 2008 A New Prionopathy OR more of the same old BSe and sporadic CJD



http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-prionopathy-or-more-of-same-old-bse.html



Sunday, March 16, 2008 MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html



HUMAN and ANIMAL TSE Classifications i.e. mad cow disease and the UKBSEnvCJD only theory JUNE 2008

snip...

Tissue infectivity and strain typing of the many variants Manuscript of the human and animal TSEs are paramount in all variants of all TSE. There must be a proper classification that will differentiate between all these human TSE in order to do this. With the CDI and other more sensitive testing coming about, I only hope that my proposal will some day be taken seriously. ...

snip...



http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/06/human-and-animal-tse-classifications-ie.html



Elsevier Editorial System(tm) for The Lancet Infectious Diseases Manuscript Draft Manuscript Number: Title: HUMAN and ANIMAL TSE Classifications i.e. mad cow disease and the UKBSEnvCJD only theory Article Type: Personal View Corresponding Author: Mr. Terry S. Singeltary, Corresponding Author's Institution: na First Author: Terry S Singeltary, none Order of Authors: Terry S Singeltary, none; Terry S. Singeltary

Abstract:

TSEs have been rampant in the USA for decades in many species, and they all have been rendered and fed back to animals for human/animal consumption. I propose that the current diagnostic criteria for human TSEs only enhances and helps the spreading of human TSE from the continued belief of the UKBSEnvCJD only theory in 2007. snip...

see full text 31 pages ;



http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=090000648027c28e&disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf



snip... see full text 48 pages, 1st page starts on page 13. ...TSS



http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=09000064801f3413&disposition=attachment&contentType=msw8




TSS

Labels: , ,

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Lack of evidence of transfusion transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a US surveillance study ?

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Lack of evidence of transfusion transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a US surveillance study

Kerri Dorsey, Shimian Zou, Lawrence B. Schonberger, Marian Sullivan, Debra Kessler, Edward Notari IV, Chyang T. Fang, and Roger Y. Dodd From the Jerome H. Holland Laboratory for the Biomedical Sciences, American Red Cross, and RTI International, Rockville, Maryland; the Division of Viral & Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne & Enteric Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; and the New York Blood Center, New York City, New York. Correspondence to Kerri Dorsey, MPH, Transmissible Diseases Department, Jerome H. Holland Laboratory for the Biomedical Sciences, American Red Cross, 15601 Crabbs Branch Way, Rockville, MD 20855; e-mail: mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000289/!x-usc:mailto:dorseyke@usa.redcross.org. Copyright © 2008 AABB

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Since 2004, several reported transfusion transmissions of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the United Kingdom have reawakened concerns about the possible risk of similar transmissions of nonvariant or classic forms of CJD.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients with a CJD diagnosis and a history of donating blood were reported to the study coordinator. Through review of blood distribution and hospital records, the recipients of blood components from these donors were identified. We then determined each recipient's vital status and, if deceased, the cause(s) of death identified by matching the recipient's personal identifiers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Death Index database. We conducted such searches after recipients were enrolled in this study and annually thereafter for those who remained alive.

RESULTS: The study included a total of 36 blood donors who subsequently developed CJD and 436 recipients. Through 2006, 91 of these recipients were still alive, 329 were deceased, and 16 were lost to follow-up. After transfusion, these three groups had survived a total of 2096.0 person-years. A total of 144 recipients survived 5 years or longer after transfusion and 68 of them had received blood donated 60 or fewer months before the onset of CJD in the donor. We identified no recipient with CJD.

CONCLUSIONS: The current results of this large, ongoing lookback study show no evidence of transfusion transmission of CJD. They reinforce the conclusion that the risk, if any, of transfusion transmission of prion disease by CJD donors is significantly lower than the comparable risk of such transmission by vCJD donors.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Received for publication September 22, 2008; revision received October 28, 2008; and accepted October 29, 2008.

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI) 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2008.02056.x About DOI



http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121615994/abstract




what did you expect $


FDA FAILED US



http://fdafailedus.blogspot.com/



SCIENCE BUSHWHACKED



http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/



Sunday, July 20, 2008 Red Cross told to fix blood collection or face charges 15 years after warnings issued, few changes made to ensure safety



http://vcjdblood.blogspot.com/2008/07/red-cross-told-to-fix-blood-collection.html




yep, that's what they said about nvCJD, until now, and with the present surveillance all human TSE in the USA, they would not know it until it was way too late, espeically with the atypical TSE showing up, and the long incubation periods, they wont' know it, like the nvCJD and blood transmission, until it's way too late.

BY lumping all cjd's as sporadic, as one strain, of young and old here in the USA, with all the different TSEs in the bovine in North America i.e. c-BSE, h-BSE, and l-BSE, and then claiming them to be of a 'spontaneous' nature, we are still in cover-up mode for mad cow disease and any human TSE thereof in North America.

you first have to have a CJD surveillance system that is place in all states, of all age groups, with a written cjd questionnaire going out to all victims and their families asking REAL questions pertaining to route and source of agent. with proper transmission studies done on all phenotypes of human TSE. until then, this study means nothing.

explain then about GSS and blood ???

FC5.1.1 Transmission Results in Squirrel Monkeys Inoculated with Human sCJD, vCJD, and GSS Blood Specimens: the Baxter Study

Brown, P1; Gibson, S2; Williams, L3; Ironside, J4; Will, R4; Kreil, T5; Abee, C3 1Fondation Alliance BioSecure, France; 2University of South Alabama, USA; 3University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA; 4Western General Hospital, UK; 5Baxter BioSience, Austria

Background: Rodent and sheep models of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) have documented blood infectivity in both the pre-clinical and clinical phases of disease. Results in a (presumably more appropriate) non-human primate model have not been reported. Objective: To determine if blood components (red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma) from various forms of human TSE are infectious. Methods: Blood components were inoculated intra-cerebrally (0.1 ml) and intravenously (0.5 ml) into squirrel monkeys from 2 patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt- Jakob disease (sCJD) and 3 patients with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Additional monkeys were inoculated with buffy coat or plasma samples from chimpanzees infected with either sCJD or Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS). Animals were monitored for a period of 5 years, and all dying or sacrificed animals had post-mortem neuropathological examinations and Western blots to determine the presence or absence of the misfolded ‘prion’ protein (PrPTSE). Results: No transmissions occurred in any of the animals inoculated with blood components from patients with sporadic or variant CJD. All donor chimpanzees (sCJD and GSS) became symptomatic within 6 weeks of their pre-clinical phase plasmapheresis, several months earlier than the expected onset of illness. One monkey inoculated with purified leukocytes from a pre-clinical GSS chimpanzee developed disease after 36 months. Conclusion: No infectivity was found in small volumes of blood components from 4 patients with sporadic CJD and 3 patients with variant CJD.

***However, a single transmission from a chimpanzee-passaged strain of GSS shows that infectivity may be present in leukocytes, and the ‘shock’ of general anaesthesia and plasmspheresis appears to have triggered the onset of illness in pre-clinical donor chimpanzees.

Subject: PRION2007 ABSTRACTS SPORADIC CJD AND H BASE MAD COW ALABAMA AND TEXAS SEPTEMBER 2007 Date: September 24, 2007 at 6:52 pm PST

P02.35 Molecular Features of the Protease-resistant Prion Protein (PrPres) in H-type BSE Biacabe, A-G1; Jacobs, JG2; Gavier-Widén, D3; Vulin, J1; Langeveld, JPM2; Baron, TGM1 1AFSSA, France; 2CIDC-Lelystad, Netherlands; 3SVA, Sweden Western blot analyses of PrPres accumulating in the brain of BSE-infected cattle have demonstrated 3 different molecular phenotypes regarding to the apparent molecular masses and glycoform ratios of PrPres bands. We initially described isolates (H-type BSE) essentially characterized by higher PrPres molecular mass and decreased levels of the diglycosylated PrPres band, in contrast to the classical type of BSE. This type is also distinct from another BSE phenotype named L-type BSE, or also BASE (for Bovine Amyloid Spongiform Encephalopathy), mainly characterized by a low representation of the diglycosylated PrPres band as well as a lower PrPres molecular mass. Retrospective molecular studies in France of all available BSE cases older than 8 years old and of part of the other cases identified since the beginning of the exhaustive surveillance of the disease in 20001 allowed to identify 7 H-type BSE cases, among 594 BSE cases that could be classified as classical, L- or H-type BSE. By Western blot analysis of H-type PrPres, we described a remarkable specific feature with antibodies raised against the C-terminal region of PrP that demonstrated the existence of a more C-terminal cleaved form of PrPres (named PrPres#2 ), in addition to the usual PrPres form (PrPres #1). In the unglycosylated form, PrPres #2 migrates at about 14 kDa, compared to 20 kDa for PrPres #1. The proportion of the PrPres#2 in cattle seems to by higher compared to the PrPres#1. Furthermore another PK–resistant fragment at about 7 kDa was detected by some more N-terminal antibodies and presumed to be the result of cleavages of both N- and C-terminal parts of PrP. These singular features were maintained after transmission of the disease to C57Bl/6 mice. The identification of these two additional PrPres fragments (PrPres #2 and 7kDa band) reminds features reported respectively in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and in Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) syndrome in humans.

FC5.5.1 BASE Transmitted to Primates and MV2 sCJD Subtype Share PrP27-30 and PrPSc C-terminal Truncated Fragments

Zanusso, G1; Commoy, E2; Fasoli, E3; Fiorini, M3; Lescoutra, N4; Ruchoux, MM4; Casalone, C5; Caramelli, M5; Ferrari, S3; Lasmezas, C6; Deslys, J-P4; Monaco, S3 1University of Verona, of Neurological and Visual Sciences, Italy; 2CEA, IMETI/SEPIA, France; 3University of Verona, Neurological and Visual Sciences, Italy; 4IMETI/SEPIA, France; 5IZSPLVA, Italy; 6The Scripps Research Insitute, USA

The etiology of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), the most frequent human prion disease, remains still unknown. The marked disease phenotype heterogeneity observed in sCJD is thought to be influenced by the type of proteinase K-resistant prion protein, or PrPSc (type 1 or type 2 according to the electrophoretic mobility of the unglycosylated backbone), and by the host polymorphic Methionine/Valine (M/V) codon 129 of the PRNP. By using a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and imunoblotting we previously showed that in sCJD, in addition to the PrPSc type, distinct PrPSc C-terminal truncated fragments (CTFs) correlated with different sCJD subtypes. Based on the combination of CTFs and PrPSc type, we distinguished three PrPSc patterns: (i) the first was observed in sCJD with PrPSc type 1 of all genotypes,;

(ii) the second was found in M/M-2 (cortical form); (iii) the third in amyloidogenic M/V- 2 and V/V-2 subtypes (Zanusso et al., JBC 2004) . Recently, we showed that sCJD subtype M/V-2 shared molecular and pathological features with an atypical form of BSE, named BASE, thus suggesting a potential link between the two conditions. This connection was further confirmed after 2D-PAGE analysis, which showed an identical PrPSc signature, including the biochemical pattern of CTFs. To pursue this issue, we obtained brain homogenates from Cynomolgus macaques intracerebrally inoculated with brain homogenates from BASE. Samples were separated by using a twodimensional electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) followed by immunoblotting. We here show that the PrPSc pattern obtained in infected primates is identical to BASE and sCJD MV-2 subtype. These data strongly support the link, or at least a common ancestry, between a sCJD subtype and BASE. This work was supported by Neuroprion (FOOD-CT-2004-506579)

*******************************************************

FC5.5.2 Transmission of Italian BSE and BASE Isolates in Cattle Results into a Typical BSE Phenotype and a Muscle Wasting Disease

Zanusso, G1; Lombardi, G2; Casalone, C3; D’Angelo, A4; Gelmetti, D2; Torcoli, G2; Barbieri, I2; Corona, C3; Fasoli, E1; Farinazzo, A1; Fiorini, M1; Gelati, M1; Iulini, B3; Tagliavini, F5; Ferrari, S1; Monaco, S1; Caramelli, M3; Capucci, L2 1University of Verona, Neurological and Visual Sciences, Italy; 2IZSLER, Italy; 3IZSPLVA, Italy; 4University of Turin, Animal Pathology, Italy; 5Isituto Carlo Besta, Italy

The clinical phenotype of bovine spongiform encephalopathy has been extensively reported in early accounts of the disorder. Following the introduction of statutory active surveillance, almost all BSE cases have been diagnosed on a pathological/molecular basis, in a pre-symptomatic clinical stage. In recent years, the active surveillance system has uncovered atypical BSE cases, which are characterized by distinct conformers of the PrPSc, named high-type (BSE-H) and low-type (BSE-L), whose clinicopathological phenotypes remain unknown. We recently reported two Italian atypical cases with a PrPSc type similar to BSE-L, pathologically characterized by PrP amyloid plaques. Experimental transmission to TgBov mice has recently disclosed that BASE is caused by a distinct prion strain which is extremely virulent. A major limitation of transmission studies to mice is the lack of reliable information on clinical phenotype of BASE in its natural host. In the present study, we experimentally infected Fresian/Holstein and Alpine/Brown cattle with Italian BSE and BASE isolates by i.c. route. BASE infected cattle showed survival times significantly shorter than BSE, a finding more readily evident in Fresian/Holstein, and in keeping with previous observations in TgBov mice. Clinically, BSE-infected cattle developed a disease phenotype highly comparable with that described in field BSE cases and in experimentally challenged cattle. On the contrary, BASE-inoculated cattle developed an amyotrophic disorder accompanied by mental dullness. The molecular and neuropathological profiles, including PrP deposition pattern, closely matched those observed in the original cases. This study further confirms that BASE is caused by a distinct prion isolate and discloses a novel disease phenotype in cattle, closely resembling the phenotype previous reported in scrapie-inoculated cattle and in some subtypes of inherited and sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Oral Abstracts 14

FC5.1.2 Interim Transmission Results in Cynomolgus Macaques Inoculated with BSE and

vCJD Blood Specimens

Lasmezas, C1; Lescoutra, N2; Comoy, E2; Holznagel, E3; Loewer, J3; Motzkus, D4; Hunsmann, G4; Ingrosso, L5; Bierke, P6; Pocchiari, M5; Ironside, J7; Will, R7; Deslys, JP2 1Scripps Florida, Infectology, USA; 2CEA, France; 3PEI, Germany; 4DPZ, Germany; 5Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Italy; 6SMI, Sweden; 7CJD Surveillance Unit, UK

BSE and vCJD transmitted to cynomolgus macaques reproduce many features of human vCJD, including clinical symptoms, neuropathological hallmarks of vCJD, PrPres electrophoretical pattern and, most importantly, the wide distribution of infectivity in peripheral organs. The latter characteristic distinguishes vCJD from sCJD in both humans and cynomolgus macaques, and prompted us to use this non-human primate model for further investigations of vCJD and its risk for human health. The occurrence of four vCJD infections in humans transfused with blood from patients who later developed vCJD has raised concern about blood transfusion safety in countries with vCJD. In this collaborative European study, we investigated the infectivity of blood components and whole blood administered by intracerebral (ic) and intravenous (iv) routes. Buffy-coat and whole blood was inoculated by ic and iv route, respectively, from two vCJD patients and from two clinical vCJD-inoculated macaques. Transfusions were also performed from whole blood and blood leucodepleted according to hospital practice standards from two clinical BSE inoculated macaques. Blood infectivity during the preclinical phase is being examined in orally infected macaques. Whole blood was collected and transfused from one such animal two years after oral challenge, whereas buffy-coat and plasma from two animals at 2 and 4.5 years post-challenge, respectively, have been inoculated by the ic route. This is an ongoing study in which recipient animals continue to be observed at various times post-inoculation. So far, we have had one positive transmission in one animal transfused 65 months earlier with 40 ml of whole blood from a vCJD macaque (the characteristics of the disease in this animal will be shown in a separate poster by E. Comoy). This positive transmission reproduces transfusion transmission of vCJD in humans, with an incubation of 5.5 years compatible with incubation periods observed in humans.

FC5.3 Assessing the Risk of vCJD Transmission by Dentistry; Distribution of Infectivity in Oral Tissues of VM Mice after Simulated Oral Feeding of BSE-301V

Sutton, JM1; Kirby, E1; Dickinson, J1; Dennis, M1; Cornwall, M1; Vassey, MJ1; Smith, A2; Marsh, PD3; Walker, JT1; Raven, NDH1 1Health Protection Agency, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response,, TSE Research group, UK; 2University of Glasgow, Dental School, UK; 3Health Protection Agency, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response,, UK

Background: Ongoing concerns about the prevalence of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) in the UK population has heightened concerns about the risks of iatrogenic transmission of the disease. Although there have been no cases to date of transmission by surgery there have been 4 cases involving blood transfusion. This study aims to assess the potential of transmission of the disease by dental procedures. Whilst the risks are undoubtably low the very large numbers of procedures carried out annually have the potential to amplify the risks considerably and there is very little data in this area to form the basis for accurate risk assessments. Aim(s)/Objective(s): To assess the relative levels of infectivity in oral tissues from a murine model following exposure to BSE-301V through the small intestine. Methods. The study uses a BSE-301V, VM mouse model as a clinically relevant model for assessing iatrogenic vCJD transmission between humans. Infectious mouse brain homogenate was prepared and inoculated into a loop of the duodenum, to prevent direct contamination of the oral tissues. Mice were sacrificed at 3-weekly intervals and at appearance of clinical symptoms. A range of oral tissues, including dental pulp, gingival margin, salivary gland, saliva, lingual tonsil and trigeminal ganglia, together with brain and spleen tissues were removed, processed as homogenates and reinoculated intracranially (ic.) into indicator mice. Results: The primary challenge proved to be a very efficient route of infection with a 100% attack rate and a mean incubation to clinical disease of 157 ± 17 days (compared to 120 days for the same titre inoculum ic.). Infectivity was observed in all oral and control tissues with varying time-courses and titres estimated from incubation period. Discussion: The results throw new light on the potential routes of dissemination and spread of infectivity from the small intestine to the oral cavity and its implications for possible iatrogenic transmission of vCJD via dental, endoscopic or other forms of surgery. Conclusion: The data generated from the study provides support for ongoing risk assessments to look at the potential for vCJD transmission via dental procedures alongside other elements of studies looking at effectiveness of decontamination and re-use of dental instruments.

P02.15 Beyond the PrPres Type1/ Type2 dichotomy in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Cassard, H1; Uro-Coste, E2; Simon, S3; Bilheude, JM4; Perret-Liaudet, A5; Ironside, J6; Haik, S7; Basset-Leobon, C2; Lacroux, C1; Peoch’, K8; Stressenberger, N9; Langeveld, J10; Head, M11; Hauw, JJ12; Schecher, F1; Delisle, MB13; Andreoletti, O1 1Ecole Natinale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, France; 22Service d’Anatomie Pathologique and INSERM U466 R, France; 3DRM, CEA/Saclay, France; 4 Bio-Rad, R&D, France; 5 Hôpital Neurologique Service de Neurochimie, France; 6School of Molecular & Clinical Medicine (Pathology),, National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Un, UK; 7Pitié Salpetriere Universitary Hospital, France; 8Hôpital Lariboisière, Service de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire,, France; 9Hôpital Neurologique -Service de Neurochimie, France; 10CIDC-Lelystad, Netherlands; 11University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, UK; 12Pitié Salpetriere Universitary Hospital,, Laboratoire de Neuropathologie, France; 13Rangueil Universitary Hospital, Service d’Anatomie Pathologique, France

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) cases are currently classified according to established diagnostic criteria and by the genotype at codon 129 of the PRNP gene and the Western blotting of the proteinase K digested abnormal prion protein that distinguishes a type 1 and a type 2 profile. These biochemically distinct PrPres types have been proposed to represent distinct prion strains. However, since the cooccurence of type 1 and type 2 PrPres in the same patient is common, the rationale of this classification and strain concept as applied to CJD are currently under discussion. Five different brain areas from of 40 sporadic CJD and 11 iatrogenic CJD (both dura matter-, and growth hormone-associated) cases, originating from UK and France, were systematically investigated, using Western blotting typing, and by two others biochemical assays that depend on the behaviour of PrPSc in variable PK digestion conditions. As described previously, co-occurrence of type 1 and type 2 PrPres was found in 30% of the CJD patients examined. However, our novel PK concentration dependent assays identified a single uniform PrP type in cases where both type 1 and type 2 were present. Moreover, in sCJD four distinct biochemical PrPSc signatures were identified by the PK concentration dependent assays and these correlated to the current genotype/clinico-pathological sCJD groups. In iCJD the four similar biochemical signatures were observed, but were not correlated to particular PRNP 129 polymorphism or Western Blot PrPres patterns. Moreover notable differences were observed between PrPSc biochemical properties of French and UK GH-CJD cases, which could reflect, as already suspected, differences in the causative agents. Identification, in sCJD and iCJD, of four different PrPSc phenotypes irrespective of patients PRNP polymorphism at codon 129 and Western blot profile provides new insights into human prion disease aetiology and could reflects an unsuspected diversity of TSE agents in human disease. Further investigations are currently underway using animal transmission to correlate agent strain with our new discriminant biochemical assays.

see full text 143 pages ;



http://www.prion2007.com/pdf/Prion%20Book%20of%20Abstracts.pdf



h type has been documented in the texas and alabama cow.

l type was documented in canada.

all this confirmed.

J. Virol. doi:10.1128/JVI.02561-07 Copyright (c) 2008, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Evaluation of the Human Transmission Risk of an Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Prion Strain Qingzhong Kong*, Mengjie Zheng, Cristina Casalone, Liuting Qing, Shenghai Huang, Bikram Chakraborty, Ping Wang, Fusong Chen, Ignazio Cali, Cristiano Corona, Francesca Martucci, Barbara Iulini, Pierluigi Acutis, Lan Wang, Jingjing Liang, Meiling Wang, Xinyi Li, Salvatore Monaco, Gianluigi Zanusso, Wen-Quan Zou, Maria Caramelli, and Pierluigi Gambetti* Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; CEA, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, 10154 Torino, Italy; Department of Neurological and Visual Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000289/!x-usc:mailto:qxk2@case.edu. mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000289/!x-usc:mailto:pxg13@case.edu.

Abstract

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the prion disease in cattle, was widely believed to have only one strain (BSE-C). BSE-C causes the fatal prion disease named new variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in humans. Two atypical BSE strains, BASE (or BSE-L) and BSE-H, have been discovered in several countries since 2004; their transmissibility and phenotypes in humans are unknown. We investigated the infectivity and human phenotype of BASE by inoculating transgenic (Tg) mice expressing the human prion protein with brain homogenates from two BASE-affected cattle. Sixty percent of the inoculated Tg mice became infected after 20-22 months incubation, a transmission rate higher than those reported for BSE-C. A quarter of BASE-infected Tg mice, but none of the Tg mice infected with a sporadic human prion disease, showed presence of pathogenic prion protein isoforms in the spleen, indicating that the BASE prion is intrinsically lymphotropic. The pathological prion protein isoforms in BASE-infected humanized Tg mouse brains are different from those of the original cattle BASE or sporadic human prion disease. Minimal brain spongiosis and long incubation time are observed in the BASE-infected Tg mice. These results suggest that, in humans, BASE is a more virulent BSE strain and likely lymphotropic.



http://jvi.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/JVI.02561-07v1?papetoc



personal communication that h type bse will transmit to humans ;

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 Atypical BSE North America Update February 2009

Greetings,

Considering that Mad Cow disease of all documented phenotypes, either the c-BSE, or the atypical h-BSE and or the l-BSE, ALL of which have been documented in North America, how many more, who knows, but they seem to be throwing all there marbles in the pot now by calling the h-type BSE 'familial'. what happens if we come up with another strain ? kinda like the sporadic FFI, that's not familial, what's that all about ? considering the many different strains of the typical scrapie 20+, and then the atypical Nor-98 Scrapie, which the USA has documented 6 cases the last i heard, and the thought of more than one strain of CWD in deer and elk, where will the next year, 4 years, 8 years, and beyond take us in the world of human and animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy and 'sound science' in the USA ? WILL the New Administration see the enfamous enhanced bse surveillance program of 2004 for what it was, a fraud, and have a 'redo' ? WE can hope i suppose. ...TSS

Both of the BSE cases ascertained in the US native-born cattle were atypical cases (H-type), which contributed to the initial ambiguity of the diagnosis. 174, 185 In Canada, there have been 2 atypical BSE cases in addition to the 14 cases of the classic UK strain of BSE2: one was the H-type, and the other was of the L-type.198

snip...end

source :

Enhanced Abstract Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association January 1, 2009, Vol. 234, No. 1, Pages 59-72

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Jane L. Harman, DVM, PhD; Christopher J. Silva, PhD



http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/ref/10.2460/javma.234.1.59



Thursday, December 04, 2008 2:37 PM


"we have found that H-BSE can infect humans."


personal communication with Professor Kong. ...TSS

see full text ;



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/02/atypical-bse-north-america-update.html



SOURCE PERSONAL COMMUNICATION AND SEE ATTACHMENT;

0022-538X/08/$08.000 doi:10.1128/JVI.02561-07 Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation of the Human Transmission Risk of an Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Prion Strain Qingzhong Kong,1* Mengjie Zheng,1 Cristina Casalone,2 Liuting Qing,1 Shenghai Huang,1† Bikram Chakraborty,1 Ping Wang,1 Fusong Chen,1 Ignazio Cali,1 Cristiano Corona,2 Francesca Martucci,2 Barbara Iulini,2 Pierluigi Acutis,2 Lan Wang,1 Jingjing Liang,1 Meiling Wang,1 Xinyi Li,1 Salvatore Monaco,3 Gianluigi Zanusso,3 Wen-Quan Zou,1 Maria Caramelli,2 and Pierluigi Gambetti1* Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 441061; CEA, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, 10154 Torino, Italy2; and Department of Neurological and Visual Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy3 Received 30 November 2007/Accepted 16 January 2008

==============

4. Edward P. Notari IV, M.P.H Project Leader of the Transmissible Diseases Department at the Jerome H. Holland Laboratory, American Red Cross (attribution used with permission) reports that "the Jerome Holland Laboratory of the American Red Cross (ARC), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and with support from blood centers across the country, has been conducting look-back investigations on blood donors who are diagnosed with classic CJD. The objective of the study is to assess whether classic CJD can be transmitted through blood transfusion. This study was originally started in 1995 by the American Red Cross and was transferred to the National Blood Data Resource Center, an independent subsidiary of the American Association of Blood Banks, in 1997. As of October 2003, study management returned to the American Red Cross. Our study looks at blood donors who subsequently developed classic CJD and requests information on the recipients from the entire span of the donor's history. If you are aware of a blood donor who received a positive CJD diagnosis and you are interested in the study, you can contact Ms. Kerri Dorsey, MPH of the CJD Look-back Study Group at mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000289/!x-usc:mailto:dorseyke@usa.redcross.org to report a donor case or to inquire further about the study. Thank you for your support."



http://www.cbbsweb.org/enf/2006/cjd_recalls.html



OLD Schonberger et al stays ''asleep at the wheel' ;

Saturday, December 08, 2007 Transfusion Transmission of Human Prion Diseases Volume 22, Issue 1, Pages A1-A8, 1-96 (January 2008)

Transfusion Transmission of Human Prion Diseases

Shimian Zou, Chyang T. Fang, and Lawrence B. Schonberger

No transmission through transfusion has been reported for classic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Moreover, a series of epidemiological surveillance, case-control, and look-back studies have provided no evidence of such transmission of CJD. Hence, the risk of such transfusion transmission of classic CJD remains theoretical. In contrast, based on data from the United Kingdom, the likelihood of transmission of the agent of the variant formof CJD (vCJD) through blood transfusion by donors who develop the disease within several years of donation is about 14% for recipients who survive longer than 5 years post transfusion. Leukodepletion may reduce the likelihoodof vCJD transmissions, although this procedure by itself removes less than half of the prion infectivity of blood. The potentially longer incubation periods of vCJD with infections in donors who are not methionine/methionine homozygous at codon 129 of the prion protein gene, the unknown number of such donors, and the unknown infectivity of their blood during the incubation period suggests caution in assuming that only known cases of vCJD represent a risk for the transfusion transmission of vCJD. Results from ongoing look-back investigations and other studies will enable continued monitoring and more precise estimations of the risks ofthe transfusion transmission of CJD and vCJD.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

snip...

Until recently, in the United States, the BSE monitoring and control efforts have not been justified or assessed based on preserving blood safety but rather on maintaining the safety of food and protecting trade. ...



http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=B75B5-4R94X2C-7-1&_cdi=12973&_user=10&_orig=browse&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2008&_sk=999779998&view=c&wchp=dGLbVlz-zSkzS&md5=6e0852421bd3e02af92fd1d9da0d14bb&ie=/sdarticle.pdf



http://vcjdblood.blogspot.com/2007/12/transfusion-transmission-of-human-prion.html



OLDER CJD ''LOOKBACK''

Additionally, a look back study involving 180 recipients of donations linked to CJD donors has yet to identify a transfusion-associated case of the disease. This study, conducted by the Red Cross, the New York Blood Center and the CDC involves 281 donations between 1959 and 1996 including blood from 10 confirmed and 4 probable cases of CJD.



http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/meetings/workshops/cjd_min.txt



Appendix 1: Knowledge about the risk of transmission by blood transfusion of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in 1995 and 1999

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was limited scientific knowledge about the risk of transmission of classic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) by blood transfusion in 1995. Animal studies suggested that intracerebral inoculation of guinea pigs and hamsters with blood from human donors with CJD could produce disease, although no blood-to-blood transmission had been demonstrated at this time.35,36 In humans, transmission of the condition from cadaveric human growth hormone provided a model for acquisition of the condition via a peripheral route. Iatrogenic transmission had also been documented with human gonadotropin hormone, the reuse of neurosurgical equipment and stereotactic electroencephalogram electrodes, and from dura mater transplants. All of these involved transfer of material that had been in contact with the central nervous system of an individual with classic CJD to a previously unaffected individual.37 There was, however, no epidemiological evidence to support transmission of the condition via blood transfusion. One case report documented the development of classic CJD in an individual who had received a liver transplant. It was hypothesized that either the liver or a potentially infected albumin transfusion may have caused the development of the disease. However, the rapidity of onset of the condition following transplant made the causative association unlikely given the normally long latency period of CJD.38 Other case reports of CJD developing after blood transfusion also had important limitations such as the existence of CJD in the donor not having been documented.39 No controlled cohort studies to examine the question of blood transmission of CJD had been carried out by 1995. Three case–control studies had been carried out to identify the rates of blood transfusion in individuals with CJD and in controls. None of these studies demonstrated higher rates of transfusion among patients with CJD.40,41,42 CJD had also been shown not to have a higher incidence in those who received blood frequently, although this question had not been studied formally in 1995.43 Overall, most researchers who studied CJD considered the risk of transmission of the condition by blood transfusion to be theoretical.44

Between 1995 and 1999, further evidence accumulated that suggested that classic CJD was not transmitted through transfusion of blood products. In addition to 3 previous case–control studies, the results of which were available in 1995, 2 further large case–control studies did not show a higher rate of blood transfusion among individuals with CJD compared with controls.45,46 However, no long-term cohort studies were carried out to examine the question. Furthermore, several of the case–control studies had important methodological limitations related to the choice of control population, which could have biased their results. Look-back studies following recipients who had received blood products from individuals later diagnosed with CJD did not demonstrate development of the condition among the recipients.47,48 In addition, studies of hemophiliacs, a population exposed to large amounts of blood products, found that they were not predisposed to acquiring the condition.49

There was considerably less evidence regarding the question of whether variant CJD (vCJD) could be transmitted by blood. In 1999, there was no substantive epidemiological evidence, and the results of animal studies examining the question were not expected for another 2 years. Scientists considered the risk of transmission of the condition to be theoretical, although higher than for CJD. The primary reason for the increased risk was the higher concentration of the prion protein in the brains of individuals with vCJD, suggesting a higher "infectious" load, in addition to the presence of the prion protein in lymphoid tissue, which is intimately linked to blood. Furthermore, vCJD was believed to have crossed species barriers, presumably having been transmitted by the oral route. This demonstrated the potential for peripheral transmission of the condition. The fact that vCJD had only recently been described and had a potentially long latency period also suggested to scientists and decision-makers that a precautionary approach should be taken.50



http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/165/1/59/DC1/1



VA study dodges nvCJD blood issue U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 18 Apr 99 press release Comment (webmaster): This is a dangerous and highly irresponsible bit of political science from the VA. What is the point, in a disease with an incubation period of 40 years or more, of looking at 1994-95 recipients of CJD blood from a single uncharacterized single donor, using the death certificate method? Note the main press release from the VA even fails to state the date of donation. Even Prusiner's group, which rarely comments on public policy issues, felt obliged to point out deficiencies in the study. This study is like looking at people exposed to chicken pox 4 days after exposure and saying it is not transmissible when the incubation period is 7-21 days. The VA should butt out of prion research if it can't do better than this. If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

The hidden agenda here is a very real concern about nvCJD blood donors from military personel stationed in Britain during the height of the mad cow epidemic. nvCJD blood is a completely issue from sporadic CJD in that it was food-borne and thus strongly infected the lympho-reticular system (white blood cells).

Why did the VA study fail to look at tonsils of GIs stationed in Britain who died of other causes to see if they were incubating disease? Are they afraid of what they might find? Is the VA planning to pooh-pooh nvCJD blood risks the way it did Gulf War Syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder to short-change service personnel? It looks like they are headed that way, to rationalize continued use of blood donated by high risk vets carrying a very different form of the disease and save money on blood recalls and notifications. Not to mention cover up a failure to take decisive steps earlier to reduce risk from overseas donors. America's veterans deserve better.

Meanwhile, Paul Brown of NIH is scheduled to give a talk at the National Blood Safety Council ln May 6 In Vancouver, BC entitled, "New experimental data from a TSE-infected mouse model: why CJD is not transmitted by blood products despite evidence that at least occasional blood donations may contain the infectious agent." No conference web site is available. Dr Penny Chan tel 416-256-2675 or fax 416-256-3944 is listed as conference staff.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Classic or sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jackob Disease (CJD) does not appear to be transmitted through contaminated blood transfusions or blood products, according to new research from the U.S. Department of Affairs (VA). Researchers examined more than 8,000 inpatient episodes and 500 death certificates of veterans who received blood products prepared from plasma of donors subsequently found to have died from CJD.

The researchers report that their data showed none of the patients died from, or had medical conditions consistent with CJD -- a rare and fatal degenerative disorder for which no treatment exists. The VA study is one of the largest to date to look at the potential risk of contracting this infectious disease from CJD-contaminated blood or plasma derivatives. The findings will be presented at the Ninth Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), in San Francisco, April 18-20.

...The major focus of VA research at the SHEA meeting will be the CJD paper presented by lead author, Abid Rahman, Ph.D., Epidemiologist, VA AIDS Service, Office of Public Health. This study came about as a result of VA's look-back notification program of patients who potentially received CJD-contaminated blood products. According to medical experts, there is no evidentiary basis showing the illness can be transmitted through blood components. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has described the risk as "small, immeasurable and theoretical."

Notwithstanding the theoretical risk, in 1995 VA voluntarily elected to notify all patients of the exposure to potentially contaminated blood products, when it was discovered that patients might have received blood components from donors who died of the disease. "Our patients had the right to know of the potential problem [of blood contamination], even if the risk was minimal," said Dr. Rahman.

"The next thing to do was to develop a means of tracking and clinically managing these patients, and determining if there was any indication of CJD in this group." Rahman and colleagues examined the morbidity and mortality records of 1,568 patients at 62 VA medical centers, who were administered potentially CJD-infected blood derivatives or plasma products. The patient group examined was 98.6% male, 86% white, with nearly 77% over the age of 60.

The researchers reviewed 8,614 inpatient episodes of care (including 862 episodes of care since the administration of the contaminated products) and 543 death certificates of patients who may have been infected. They found the primary diagnoses for inpatient stays was circulatory system diseases (29%), followed by 15% for digestive system diseases and 11.3% for neoplasms. None of the 862 episodes were consistent with conditions associated with CJD. The death certificate review produced similar results. The immediate causes of death indicated that neoplasms and circulatory system disease were the major causes of death at 30% and 28.2%, respectively. Respiratory, infectious and nervous system diseases, along with mental disorders, accounted for the rest.

"The study has significant public heath care implications," said Rahman. "Based on what the data show, thus far, there is only a small theoretical risk of transmitting CJD from contaminated blood products." Noting the disease's long incubation period, Rahman said VA continues to monitor the clinical history of these veterans.

Creutzfeldt-Jackob Disease is rare degenerative disease of the brain and central nervous system characterized by a rapidly progressive dementia. Other symptoms may include cognitive impairment and muscle spasms. It belongs to the class of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. It is the human equivalent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, more popularly known as "Mad Cow" disease. The illness reportedly affects one in a million people in the U.S. annually.

1994 CJD donor studied Mon, 19 Apr 1999 ProMed

No one seems to have caught the deadly, brain-destroying Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) from infected blood -- at least not yet, researchers said Sunday. A study of 1,500 patients who were given blood from an infected donor has found that none show any sign of CJD, said Abid Rahman and colleagues at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This does not mean the patients were not infected but researchers were hopeful following the study, Rahman told a meeting in Washington, DC of the Federation of American Scientists Experimental Biology (FASEB).

In 1994 the American Red Cross said a blood donor had later died of CJD, which is always fatal and which has no cure. Blood products from the patient had been given to more than 1,500 people at VA medical centers. (The number is so large because blood from many donors is often pooled before being distributed.) No one knew in 1994, if CJD could be passed on in the blood, although CJD is known to be infectious through brain matter.

Rahman's team looked at medical records for every time one of the patients went to the hospital, and got death certificates from 543 of them. None seemed to have any symptoms of the disease, which can only be ultimately diagnosed by examination of the brain after death.

"Thus far, CJD does not appear to have been transmitted from the blood products manufactured from the plasma of the CJD patient," Rahman told the meeting. "However, caution must be exercised because of the long incubation period of transmissible CJD."

It can take decades for CJD to start showing symptoms. It is a rare disease, affecting about one in a million people for no apparent reason. It can also be spread through infected brain matter -- for instance, if an infected person has a brain operation and the instruments are re-used or if infected brain matter is used in a tissue transplant.

There are also signs that it (new variant CJD, nvCJD) can spread to people who eat beef from cattle infected with mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). BSE swept British herds in the 1980s and doctors believe that about 30 people who died of a new form of CJD (nvCJD) contracted it by eating infected beef.

"Mad cow' study checks blood of vets April 19, 1999 San Francisco Examiner Tue, Apr 20, 1999 Ulysses Torassa

Disease not linked to transfusions: A new study of more than 1,500 veterans who received blood products from people who later died from the human equivalent of "mad cow" disease has found no evidence that any of them came down with the rare ailment. The study, presented Sunday at a conference of epidemiologists in San Francisco, coincides with other inquiries that have yet to find a documented case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is transmitted by blood or blood products. However, the disease has been linked to transplants of infected tissues, including corneas and brain material. An outbreak of the disease in Great Britain has been linked to eating beef of infected cows. In Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, as well as mad cow disease in animals, spongelike holes form in the brain, leading to dementia and death. Strange, misshapen proteins called prions are believed to be responsible. They can be infectious, but scientists believe they can also arise spontaneously from genetic mutations. Researchers at UC-San Francisco, where prions were discovered, cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from the study. For one thing, proving a negative - that the disease is not passed through blood - requires a very high standard, said Fred E. Cohen, a UCSF scientist researching prions.

The study by researchers at the Department of Veterans Affairs looked at death certificates from patients known to have gotten blood products from people who later came down with the disease. But death certificates are notoriously inaccurate, Cohen said, especially when it comes to diagnosing rare diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob, which occurs in one person in a million each year in the United States.

Furthermore, Cohen said past research in animals has shown that prions probably are carried in white blood cells at an early stage of infection. "One just needs to be extremely careful if the conclusion is the blood supply is safe," Cohen said.

The study's author, Abid Rahman, an epidemiologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Public Health, agreed that the results don't prove that the disease cannot be transmitted via blood. However, he said it appears there is only a "small, theoretical risk" of getting it that way. "It at least gives us some evidentiary basis for no transmission through blood so far," Rahman said.

The FDA banned blood products from people with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in 1995. However, the disease can have a very long incubation period, so it may be many years before it is discovered that someone who gave blood had the disease. More recently, the FDA has considered a proposal to ban blood donations from people who have spent time in Britain at the height of the mad cow disease outbreak. A decision has yet to be made, however it is estimated such a ban could cut the blood supply by 10 percent.



http://www.mad-cow.org/apr99_mid_news.html



Blood: infectivity of buffy coat in new variant CJD Transfusion, Vol. 40, No. 6, 754-755, June 2000 Letters to the Editor Muttuswamy Sivakumaran, MSc, FRCP, MRCPath, PhD

"I read with interest the timely article of Brown and coworkers, recently published in TRANSFUSION.1 Their experimental work has produced several important findings that are relevant to current blood transfusion practice in several countries. First, the observation is reassuring that components prepared from the plasma of mice infected with a mouse-adapted strain of human transmissible spongiform encephalopathy are associated with very low infectivity. However, their other finding, that plasma infectivity is not eliminated by WBC reduction filtration, is obviously a worrying one and may imply that additional measures may be required to reduce the "theoretical risk" of transmission of variant CJD (vCJD) through the use of FFP. Their study also confirms that most of the infectivity in blood is associated with buffy coat. This finding has been, in my opinion, erroneously interpreted by Brown et al. as evidence that WBCs are the major source of infectivity in blood. I would like to point out that buffy coat and WBCs are not synonymous, and it is well known that buffy coat preparations contain large numbers of platelets.

Unfortunately, because of either a flaw in the method of Brown et al. or their omission of a vital piece of information (i.e., platelet contents of the buffy coat preparations used in the study), the validity of their conclusion that WBCs are the major source of infectivity in vCJD is questionable. An experiment carried out to ascertain the composition of buffy coat preparations made by the method described in their report (centrifugation at 2280 x g for 4 minutes at ambient temperature, which is followed by complete removal of supernatant plasma) using six normal mouse blood samples (Harlan Sera-Lab, Belton, UK) reveals that the average platelet content of the buffy coat preparations is at least 30 times greater than that of WBCs (the average platelet:WBC ratio of normal mouse blood samples was 76:1). This confirms my assertion that unmanipulated buffy coat preparations contain large numbers of platelets.

Because of the uncertainty of the composition of the buffy coat preparations used in the experiments of Brown et al., any attempt to draw conclusions as to the relative infectivities of WBCs and platelets in vCJD would be misleading. It would be reasonable to surmise that, although buffy coat has the highest infectivity concentration of any blood component, the relative contributions from WBCs and platelets remain unknown. Experiments using "purer" preparations of WBCs and platelets would be needed to resolve the above issue.

Needless to say, the question of whether WBCs or platelets account for the infectivity of buffy coat is of great importance, as the answer would have direct relevance for the strategies formulated to reduce the "theoretical" risk of transfusion-associated transmission of vCJD. For example, if platelets are found to be the "culprit," the removal of WBCs (WBC reduction) will have very little impact indeed! "

1. Brown P, Cerven?kov? L, McShane LM, et al. Further studies of blood infectivity in an experimental model of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, with an explanation of why blood components do not transmit Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Transfusion 1999;39:1169-78.[Abstract/Full Text]

The above letter was sent to Dr. Brown and Ms. Cerven?kov?, who offer the following reply: "We thank Dr. Sivakumaran for this perceptive reading of our article about blood infectivity in an experimental model of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). He is correct in thinking that the evidence presented in the article does not provide any basis for distinguishing infectivity in buffy coat as belonging to either of its components, WBCs or platelets.1 Wherever we have referred to WBCs, the proper term should have been buffy coat. We were probably subconsciously anticipating data we knew existed from as yet unpublished studies in hamsters, which indicate that washed platelets have a substantially lower concentration of infectivity than buffy coat and thus imply that most of the buffy coat infectivity is associated with WBCs.2

It is of course possible that the hamster model (like our own mouse model) will not be applicable to the situation in humans with TSE. A recent study of the normal precursor of the pathogenic amyloid protein ("prion protein," or PrP) in human blood components has shown that by far the highest concentration is associated with platelets, not WBCs.3 However, the tissue distribution of the precursor in normal animals may not reflect the distribution of PrP or infectivity in diseased animals: muscle, for example, contains high levels of the precursor in normal animals, but, in diseased animals, it contains neither the converted pathogenic form of PrP nor any detectable infectivity.4-6

The question of which component of buffy coat contains more infectivity therefore remains open, but it should be settled by experiments currently in progress to assay the infectivity in purified WBCs and platelets from the blood of primates inoculated with several different strains of human TSE, including new variant CJD. "

1. Brown P, Cerven?kov? L, McShane LM, et al. Further studies of blood infectivity in an experimental model of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, with an explanation of why blood components do not transmit Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Transfusion 1999;39:1169-78.[Abstract/Full Text]

2. Rohwer RG. Titer, distribution, and transmissibility of blood-born TSE infectivity. Presented at Cambridge Healthtech Institute 6th Annual Meeting, "Blood Product Safety: TSE, Perception versus Reality," McLean, Virginia, February 13-15, 2000.

3. MacGregor I, Hope J, Barnard G, et al. Application of a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for the analysis of normal prion protein in human blood and its components. Vox Sang 1999;77:88-96.

4. Bendheim PE, Brown HR, Rudelli RD, et al. Nearly ubiquitous tissue distribution of the scapie agent precursor protein. Neurology 1992;42:149-56.

5. Hadlow WJ, Kennedy RC, Race RE. Natural infection of Suffolk sheep with scrapie virus. J Infect Dis 1982;146:657-64.

6. Brown P, Gibbs CJ Jr, Rodgers-Johnson P, et al. Human spongiform encephalopathy: the National Institutes of Health series of 300 cases of experimentally transmitted disease. Ann Neurol 1994;35:513-29.



http://www.mad-cow.org/00/jun00_news.html#bbb



4TH October 2004

SUBMISSION TO THE TRANSMISSABLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

INTRODUCTION

-----------------independent campaign and support group in the UK for haemophiliacs infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses through blood products, and more recently exposed to v CJD as a result of their treatment. My husband, is a haemophiliac infected with HIV, hepatitis B and C, and exposed to the blood of donor(s) who have since died from v CJD, on at least 12 occasions in 1996 and 1997. We are currently waiting to discover whether my husband has had further exposures, following a recent “look-back” study commissioned by the government. My brother-in-law also a haemophiliac died of AIDS in 1986.

In 2000, our group was sent two “leaked” documents. One was a letter from a British plasma company BPL (dated 1997), and the second, was a letter from the NHS Executive (1998). The content of both, was that haemophiliacs had been exposed to the blood of donors that had died from v CJD, that products if not used should be withdrawn, but “don’t tell haemophiliacs”, as “it would blight their lives forever”. Naturally, after living with the past government cover-up over blood contamination, and the day to day problems of HIV, and hepatitis C, and being promised more openness with regard to any future blood borne viruses, prion diseases, we were furious to learn that once again our government was keeping information from us, which may in turn have put our families and other patients at risk. We went to the press in October/November 2000, and as a result the British government (Department of Health), were shamed into contacting all haematologists to advise them in turn to contact all haemophilia patients, (January 2001 notification), giving haemophiliacs the opportunity of knowing if they had received the implicated batch numbers.

The Westminster government in conjunction with the Scottish parliament have recently commissioned a vCJD blood risk assessment carried out by Det Norske Veritas Consulting, to identify those groups/individuals that have surpassed the “at-risk” threshold for public health purposes. This was as a result of the first death from vCJD related to a blood transfusion. A second probable case of v CJD related to blood transfusion was later identified, where a person was found to be incubating vCJD at post-mortem, but died from unrelated causes. As a result of information we have received from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) (and other sources), we have a number of concerns with regard to v CJD and blood which we wish to raise at the meeting.

ISSUES OF CONCERN

1.We are aware that since 1998 plasma has been imported from the USA for fractionation to manufacture plasma products, as we can no longer use our own plasma because of the risk of v CJD. I have some concerns about this as I am aware that over the years citizens from European countries with cases of BSE/v CJD have sold their blood in the U.S. and been accepted as donors. Even if this practice has now stopped, if vCJD is transmittable via blood products, is there not a risk that vCJD could already have been in the blood supply and that American recipients may be incubating v CJD?

For example, my friend’s son who has lived in the UK for the first 20 years of his life, (the UK has cases of BSE/v CJD), went to study in the U.S. in 1999. I discovered to my horror that he had seen a notice on campus for plasma donors, and had proceeded to sell his blood on several occasions. He wrote telling me that he had been economical with the truth as he had smoked dope on the way to donate, and was afraid he would be barred from donating. (This is one of the reasons why we have a volunteer donor system in the UK). Dr J Garrott Allen, (former Professor Of Surgery, Stanford University, USA), pointed out in a letter to Dr William Maycock, Head of Blood Transfusion Service, England, as far back as 1975, that paying donors tempted them to lie about their circumstances and compromised safety.

I checked with the CJD Surveillance Unit, Edinburgh, and they informed me that if a UK citizen dies from v CJD, they ask the family if they have donated blood in the UK, but they don’t ask if they have donated in any other country. They give some details to the U.S. authorities but not the name of the person for reasons of confidentiality. If my friend’s son were to be incubating v CJD when he donated in the U.S, and then died of the prion disease, how would recipients of his blood products be traced in the U.S.? How many citizens from European countries with BSE/v CJD have donated blood in the U.S. since 1980?

I am also aware of a French film crew, filming a documentary in 1999 on blood safety around the world, who stepped off a plane and headed for the nearest plasma centre on the U.S./Mexican border to sell their blood, and were accepted as plasma donors. (France has cases of BSE/v CJD).

It is pointless the UK importing plasma from the U.S. from 1998 onwards because of concerns over vCJD in this country, if the U.S. authorities allowed UK and other European donors from countries with BSE/v CJD to donate in America. UK donors that donated plasma in the U.S. in for example 1999/2000 could be incubating vCJD but be asymptomatic.

2. Recently a new rule came into being in the UK. This rule said that any person receiving a blood transfusion/blood products after 1980 can no longer give blood themselves because of the possibility of v CJD risk to others. Can you advise me, does the U.S. have this same exclusion rule for any person from the U.S. who has received a blood transfusion/blood products whilst a visitor to the UK, eg, if a person took ill/had an accident here whilst on holiday, or came to the UK for medical treatment requiring blood or blood transfusions. I am aware of the recent v CJD blood products notification to the American haemophilia community but I would have thought this might also apply to other U.S. citizens.

3. If U.S. haemophiliacs are identified as having implicated U.K.blood products, will the U.S. adopt the same safety measures with haemophiliacs in relation to v CJD as the authorities have in the UK?

4. If new cases such as U.S. haemophiliacs are identified as being “high-risk” in relation to vCJD for public health purposes, what measures will be taken with regard to surgical instruments used on high-risk groups? I note the following in the advice from the HPA:-

“Any risk of transmitting v CJD on such surgical instruments (that have come into contact with those “at –risk” of v CJD) will decrease each time they are used and decontaminated. After going through approximately ten cycles of use and standard decontamination, the instruments are unlikely to pose a significant risk of infection to others.”

5. If new cases such as U.S. haemophiliacs are identified as being “high-risk” in relation to v CJD for public health purposes, what advice will be given in relation to sexual transmission, given that in the UK, those identified as “at –risk” for public health purposes will no longer be allowed to donate sperm? What advice will be given to those who wish to conceive but who are identified as being in a “high-risk” category in relation to v CJD for public health purposes? As the haemophilia community learnt to their detriment in the early days of HIV and hepatitis C, no evidence of sexual or mother to child transmission at a particular time does not necessarily mean there is no risk.

6. If any U.S. haemophiliacs are identified as being exposed to v CJD from UK products, will there be guidelines for them on how to deal with a blood spillage in the community as well as for professionals in hospital? My husband recently had a burst vein in his foot, resulting in blood spillage. There were no guidelines in the community for our insurance company to follow, so as a precaution after speaking to the local HPA, men in full bio-hazard suits were dispensed to our home to remove our blood-stained carpet for disposal. Ironically if my husband bleeds onto his shirt there are no guidelines for me as the carer of a haemophiliac in the community!

I would be grateful if you could attempt to answer my questions, although I am not a U.S. citizen, many of our haemophilia community rely on plasma products made from plasma sourced in the U.S. I also have close connections to the U.S. haemophilia community. I have enclosed a copy of our letter to my husband’s consultant in the UK with regard to our concerns over v CJD and blood, to read at your leisure, as it may help you to understand some of the issues the haemophilia community are dealing with here at this present time. Unfortunately it may only be a matter of time before U.S. haemophiliacs or other U.S. citizens may find themselves in a “high-risk” group in relation to v CJD, and you may need to tighten or introduce new guidelines. Thank-you for your time.

Yours sincerely

------------------------------- (Haemophilia Action UK)



http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/AC/04/slides/2004-4075OP1_08.htm



Is the virulence of BSE prions enhanced when passaged from human to human, as opposed to the original bovine to human situation?

Can vCJD infection of heterozygous individuals establish a permanent subclinical carrier state?

WHAT about atypical BSE (either h or l or the new IBNC BSE) ???

IN terms of transmission, considering too that the atypical BSE is more virulent to humans, and considering that both the h type BSE and the l type BSE have both been found in North America, as with the typical c BSE, considering as well, that all donors in North America have been exposed in one way or the other, what saftey factors have been put into place to assure the public that blood is safe from these new and emerging TSE's (not to mention the CWD's, and Scrapie's i.e. typical and atypicals) ???

SINCE the new TSE have emerged, some more virulant than the old TSEs, and the risk thereof superceeds that of the old UKBSEnvCJD only theory, are all victims and families of victims of the sporadic CJD's being questioned about their blood donations, and if not why not, considering the new emergence of these atypical TSEs, in both human and animals in North America, and the fact they are MORE VIRULENT ???

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE RESULTS OF THE ''CJD LOOK BACK STUDY'' ??? would it not seem more important now than ever ???

----- Original Message -----

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

To: mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000289/!x-usc:mailto:FREAS@CBER.FDA.GOV

Cc: mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000289/!x-usc:mailto:william.freas@fda.hhs.gov ; mhtml:%7B33B38F65-8D2E-434D-8F9B-8BDCD77D3066%7Dmid://00000289/!x-usc:mailto:rosanna.harvey@fda.hhs.gov

Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 1:24 PM Subject: TSE advisory committee for the meeting December 15, 2006 [TSS SUBMISSION]

November 29, 2006

Greetings FDA, DHH, Dr. Freas, and Dr. Harvey et al,

a kind and warm Holiday Greetings to you all.

i kindly wish to submit the following to the TSE advisory committee for the meeting December 15, 2006, about the assessment for potential exposure to vCJD in human plasma-derived antihemophilic factor (FVIII) products manufactured from U.S. plasma donors and related communication material ;



http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/E6-20251.htm



i see the media picked up on this as a 'low risk', from what the gov. agency perceived to be to them;



http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ats-ap_health14nov27,0,7955259.story?coll=ny-leadhealthnews-headlines



however, i seem to disagree. from my primitive ciphering, i see it another way. this is a huge catastrophic risk. 3 in 160 is 1.9%. so call that 2% which is 1 in 50 or twenty per thousand or 20,000 per million. also, what about the mixed genotypes/mixed susceptibility? what about the silent carriers that donated tainted blood? what about the sporadic CJDs of UNKNOWN strain or phenotype? this risk assessment is just more BSe to me. Just another in a long line of industry fed crap. i pray that my assessment is the one that is wrong. but it is THEY who roll the dice with your life. It is THEY who refuse to regulate an industry that has run amok. just from a recall aspect of potentially tainted blood, and these are just recent recalls ;

PRODUCT Source Plasma, Recall # B-0054-7 CODE Units: 03MMNC5465, 03MMNC6361, 03MMNC6801, 03MMNC7510, 03MMNC7891, 03MMNC8252, 03MMNC8801, 03MMNC9144, 03MMND1122, 03MMND1478, 03MMND1969, 03MMND2350, 03MMND2825, 03MMND3211, 03MMND3708, 03MMND4072, 03MMND4588, 03MMND4831, 03MMND5320, 03MMND5719, 03MMND6268, 03MMND6683, 03MMND7228, 03MMND7656, 03MMND8211, 03MMND8652, 03MMND9195, 03MMND9618, 03MMNE0628, 03MMNE0884, 03MMNE1597, 03MMNE1979, 03MMNE2644, 03MMNE3064, 03MMNE3707, 03MMNE4122, 03MMNE4750, 03MMNE5080, 03MMNE5876, 03MMNE6218, 03MMNE7189, 03MMNE7587, 03MMNE8027, 03MMNE8645, 03MMNE9029, 03MMNE9641, 03MMNE9979, 03MMNF0491, 03MMNF0685, 03MMNF0937, 03MMNF1260, 04MMNA0351, 04MMNA0707, 04MMNA1241, 04MMNA1650, 04MMNA2291, 04MMNA2646, 04MMNA3340, 04MMNA3719, 04MMNA4312, 04MMNA4683, 04MMNA5298, 04MMNA5750, 04MMNA6407, 04MMNA6816, 04MMNA7482, 04MMNA7915, 04MMNA8632, 04MMNA9076, 04MMNA9723, 04MMNB0063, 04MMNB0696, 04MMNB1100, 04MMNB1845, 04MMNB2285, 04MMNB3035, 04MMNB3485, 04MMNB4213, 04MMNB4672, 04MMNB5841, 04MMNB6652, 04MMNB7162, 04MMNB7930, 04MMNB8453, 04MMNB9239, 04MMNB9747, 04MMNC0456, 04MMNC0931, 04MMNC1578 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER BioLife Plasma Services, L.P., Mankato, MN, by facsimile on June 4, 2004. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor who was at increased risk for new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 89 units DISTRIBUTION CA and Austria

END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR October 25, 2006

###



http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2006/ENF00975.html



USA FDA MAD COW BLOOD HUMANS RECALL (these are dime a dozen)

RECALLS AND FIELD CORRECTIONS: BIOLOGICS -- CLASS II ______________________________ PRODUCT Source Plasma, Recall # B-1708-6 CODE Units: MI180733, MI180927, MI181625, MI181780, MI182337, MI182519, MI183140, MI183311, MI183955, MI185006, MI185278, MI185822, MI186081, MI186855, MI187183, MI187903, MI188273, MI188695, MI189257, MI189553, MI190136, MI190473, MI191073, MI191395, MI191972, MI192303, MI193473, MI194343, 04MINA0377, 04MINA0801, 05MINA7147, 05MINA7451, 05MINA8094, 05MINA8504, 05MINA9548, 05MINA9883, 05MINB0489, 05MINB0875, 05MINB1469, 05MINB1874, 05MINB3116, 05MINB7192, 05MINB7529, 05MINB8246, 05MINB8612, 05MINB9236, 05MINB9366, 05MINB9475, 05MINB9641, 05MINC0031, 05MINC0237, 05MINC0336, 05MINC0894, 05MINC0964, 05MINC1138, 05MINC1619, 05MINC1750, 05MINC1907, 05MINC1977, 05MINC2375, 05MINC2774, 05MINC3113, 05MINC3484, 05MINC4277, 05MINC4623, 05MINC5623, 05MINC5914, 05MINC7545, 05MINC7870, 05MINC8355, 05MINC8689, 05MINC9437, 05MINC9775, 05MIND0067, 05MIND0393, 05MIND0892, 05MIND0951, 05MIND1836, 05MIND2183 and 05MIND2962 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER BioLife Plasma Services L.P., Muncie, IN, by facsimile on November 22, 2005. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from unsuitable donors based on risk factors for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 80 units DISTRIBUTION CA, NC, and MD

______________________________

PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells, Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1714-6; b) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1715-6; c) Platelets, Recall # B-1716-6 CODE a), b), and c) Unit: 2443732 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by letters dated November 11, 2003 and December 18, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor who was at increased risk for new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 3 units DISTRIBUTION TX and WI

END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 13, 2006

###



http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2006/ENF00969.html



PRODUCT Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1751-6 CODE Unit: 4936623 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Houston, TX, by facsimile dated September 16, 2005. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood product, which was collected from an unsuitable donor based on risk factors for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), was distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 1 unit DISTRIBUTION TX

END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 6, 2006

###



http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2006/ENF00968.html



Mon Aug 7, 2006 10:24 71.248.132.189

PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells, Recall # B-1587-6; b) Cryoprecipitated AHF, Recall # B-1588-6; c) Recovered Plasma, Recal # B-1589-6 CODE a), b) and c) Unit: 2016719 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Walter Shepeard Community Blood Center, Inc., Augusta, GA, by facsimile on March 13, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 3 units DISTRIBUTION GA and Germany

______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1590-6; b) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1591-6 CODE a) and b) Unit: 2443595 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by facsimile on June 30, 2004. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION TX

______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1592-6; b) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1593-6 CODE a) and b) Unit: 2545596 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by facsimile on December 14, 2004 and January 3, 2005. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION TX

______________________________



http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2006/ENF00963.html



PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1550-6; b) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1551-6 CODE a) and b) Unit 2395371 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by fax on August 20, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION TX ______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1552-6; b) Platelets, Recall # B-1553-6; c) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1554-6 CODE a), b) and c) Unit 2438702 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by fax on May 29, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 3 units DISTRIBUTION TX

______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1555-6; b) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1556-6 CODE a) and b) Unit 2454970 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by fax on July 23 and December 11. 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION TX

______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells, Recall # B-1494-6 b) Cryoprecipitated AHF, Recall # B-1495-6 CODE a) and b) Unit 5013100 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Walter L. Shepeard Community Blood Center, Inc., Augusta, GA, by fax on May 17, 2005. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION GA

______________________________ PRODUCT Source Plasma, Recall # B-1450-6 CODE Unit numbers ST0824313 and ST0824764 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Stillwater Plasma Center LLC, Stillwater, OK, by fax on November 21, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor whose suitability pertaining to risk factors for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) was not adequately determined, were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION UK

______________________________ PRODUCT Plasma Frozen, Recall # B-1422-6; Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-1423-6 CODE a) Unit 03E42218; b) Unit 03E38153 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER American Red Cross Blood Services, Atlanta, GA, by telephone, e-mail or letter on February 20 or 21, 2004. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION GA and Switzerland

______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1374-6; b) Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-1375-6 CODE a) and b) unit 2453906 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by fax on October 31 and November 5, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION TX and Austria

______________________________ PRODUCT Source Plasma. Recall # B-1295-6 CODE Units: NG0046551, NG0045950 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER DCI Biologicals Nacogdoches LLC, Nacogdoches, TX, by telephone and fax on December 20, 2002, Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor who did not answer the questions on the new variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (nvCJD) questionnaire appropriately, were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION KY

______________________________ PRODUCT Source Plasma. Recall # B-1296-6 CODE Unit: NG 0044520 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER DCI Biologicals Nacogdoches LLC, Nacogdoches, TX, by telephone and fax on December 12, 2002. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood product, collected from a donor who did not answer the questions on the new variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (nvCJD) questionnaire, was distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 1 unit DISTRIBUTION KY

______________________________ PRODUCT Source Plasma. Recall # B-1297-6 CODE Units: NG0042874, NG0043139, NG0043312, NG0043618, NG0043797, NG0044020, NG0044209, NG0044507, NG0044718, NG0044977, NG0045161, NG0045412, NG0045555 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER DCI Biologicals Nacogdoches LLC, Nacogdoches, TX, by telephone and fax on December 20, 2002. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor considered to be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 13 units DISTRIBUTION KY

______________________________ PRODUCT Source Plasma, Recall # B-1298-6 CODE Units: NG 0046823, NG 0046671, NG 0045205, NG 0044635, NG 0043095, NG 0042525, NG 0042341 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER DCI Biologicals Nacogdoches LLC, Nacogdoches, TX, by telephone and fax on December 20, 2002. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, collected from a donor who answered questions on the variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD) questionnaire inappropriately, were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 7 units DISTRIBUTION KY

______________________________ PRODUCT Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-1299-6 CODE Unit: 4357117 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER Department of the Navy, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA, by fax and letter on September 25, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood product, collected from a donor considered to be at risk of exposure to Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD), was distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 1 unit DISTRIBUTION Germany

END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR July 12, 2006

###



http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2006/ENF00960.html



CJD WATCH MESSAGE BOARD TSS

FDA mad cow nvCJD 'only' blood recalls 1ST WEEK JULY Fri Jul 7, 2006 09:37 70.110.83.160

FDA mad cow nvCJD 'only' blood recalls 1ST WEEK JULY

PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1379-6; b) Platelets, Recall # B-1380-6; c) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # 1381-6; d) Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-1382-6 CODE a) Unit numbers: 2343106, 2377779, and 2403533; b) and c) Unit numbers: 2377779; d) Unit numbers: 2343106 and 2403533 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by facsimile on June 12, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 7 units DISTRIBUTION TX and Austria ______________________________

PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1467-6; b) Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-1468-6 CODE a) and b) Unit numbers: 2329380 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by facsimile on May 8, 2003. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION TX and Switzerland

______________________________

PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1479-6; b) Cryoprecipitated AHF, Recall # B-1480-6; c) Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-1481-6 CODE a), b), and c) Unit numbers: 2383280 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by facsimile on July 23 and 29, 2004. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 3 units DISTRIBUTION TX and Switzerland

______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1482-6; b) Fresh Frozen Plasma, Recall # B-1483-6 CODE a) and b) Unit number: 2501452 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by facsimile on October 5, 2004. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 2 units DISTRIBUTION TX and NY

______________________________ PRODUCT a) Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, Recall # B-1484-6; b) Plasma Cryoprecipitated Reduced, Recall # B-1485-6; c) Recovered Plasma, Recall # B-1486-6 CODE a) and c) Unit number: 2554077; b) Unit number: 2415708 RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, San Antonio, TX, by facsimile on August 13, 2004. Firm initiated recall is complete. REASON Blood products, which were collected from a donor who may be at increased risk for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), were distributed. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 3 units DISTRIBUTION TX and Austria

_____________________________________

END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR July 5, 2006

###



http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2006/ENF00959.html



Greetings again Dr. Freas et al at FDA,

WITH new atypical TSE in the bovine, in the sheep, goat, and humans, and the fact that the new BASE TSE in cattle being very very similar to sporadic CJD, rather than the nvCJD, the fact that now science showing the TSE agent of the atypical cattle in Japan showing infectivity other than CNS tissue, the fact that the latest Texas mad cow and the recent Alabama mad cow both being of the atypical strain, it would seem prudent to include all human TSE in the blood ban, in my opinion. with sporadic CJD, you have many strains and or phenotypes, some of which are 'UNKNOWN', so we do not know how this will transmit, what tissues are infectious and or if blood transmits. that's the bottom line, however it has been reported that the BASE is more virulent to humans. With this, and the fact that sporadic CJD has tripled in the past few years or so, i see it as being prudent to take serious and immediate action ;

PERSPECTIVE

On the Question of Sporadic or Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Paul Brown,* Lisa M. McShane,? Gianluigi Zanusso,? and Linda Detwiler§

snip...

ONE FINAL COMMENT PLEASE, (i know this is long Dr. Freas but please bear with me)

THE USA is in a most unique situation, one of unknown circumstances with human and animal TSE. THE USA has the most documented TSE in different species to date, with substrains growing in those species (BSE/BASE in cattle and CWD in deer and elk, there is evidence here with different strains), and we know that sheep scrapie has over 20 strains of the typical scrapie with atypical scrapie documented and also BSE is very likely to have passed to sheep. all of which have been rendered and fed back to animals for human and animal consumption, a frightening scenario. WE do not know the outcome, and to play with human life around the globe with the very likely TSE tainted blood from the USA, in my opinion is like playing Russian roulette, of long duration, with potential long and enduring consequences, of which once done, cannot be undone.

These are the facts as i have come to know through daily and extensive research of TSE over 9 years, since 12/14/97. I do not pretend to have all the answers, but i do know to continue to believe in the ukbsenvcjd only theory of transmission to humans of only this one strain from only this one TSE from only this one part of the globe, will only lead to further failures, and needless exposure to humans from all strains of TSE, and possibly many more needless deaths from TSE via a multitude of proven routes and sources via many studies with primates and rodents and other species. ...

Terry S. Singeltary Sr. P.O. Box 42 Bacliff, Texas USA 77518

snip... see full text 48 pages, 1st page starts on page 13. ...TSS



http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=09000064801f3413&disposition=attachment&contentType=msw8



Saturday, December 08, 2007

Transfusion Transmission of Human Prion Diseases



http://vcjdblood.blogspot.com/2006/12/vcjd-case-study-highlights-blood.html




Infectivity of bovine materials used in medicinal products and the importance of inoculation route

3.221 The risk from infectivity present in medicinal products was considered by the Southwood Working Party. They noted that 'the greatest risk . . . would be from the parenteral injection of material derived from bovine brain or lymphoid tissue'.538 (As described previously, it was generally accepted that the oral route was considerably less efficient than the parenteral route.539)

3.222 In reality, different routes exist within the parenteral category - intracerebral, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intravenous, intraspinal and subcutaneous. Experiments in 1978 looking at several of these routes found the efficiency between them to vary. Intracerebral and intraspinal were generally the most efficient, followed by intravenous, intraperitoneal and then subcutaneous.540 The fact that certain medicinal products could be injected directly into the body (most commonly intramuscularly) meant that in theory they would pose a greater risk than beef products in food.

3.223 Various cattle tissues were of relevance to medicinal products, including insulin, heparin, surgical catgut sutures and serum. The consideration given to these materials prior to March 1996 is addressed in vol. 7: Medicines and Cosmetics.

533 SEAC 22/5 534 Wells, G. (1998) Preliminary Observations on the Pathogenesis of Experimental Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE): An Update, Veterinary Record, 142, 103 535 Wells, G., Hawkins, S., Green, P., Spencer, Y., Dexter, I. and Dawson, D. (1999) Limited Detection of Sternal Bone Marrow Infectivity in the Clinical Phase of Experimental Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Veterinary Record, 144, 292-4 536 Scott, M.R., Will, R., Ironside, J., Nguyen, H.-O., Tremblay, P., DeArmond, S.J. and Prusiner, S.B. (1999) Compelling Transgenetic Evidence for Transmission of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Prions to Humans, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 96, 15137-42 537 Scott, M.R., Safar, J., Telling, G., Nguyen, H.-O., Groth, D., Torchia, M., Kochler, R., Tremblay, P., Walther, D., Cohen, F., DeArmond, S. and Prusiner, S. (1997) Identification of a Prion Protein Epitope Modulating Transmission of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Prions to Transgenic Mice, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 94, 14279-84 538 IBD1 tab 2 para. 5.3.3 539 Kimberlin, R. and Walker, C. (1989) Pathogenesis of Scrapie in Mice after Intragastric Infection, Virus Research, 12, 213-20; Diringer, H., Beekes, M. and Oberdieck, U. (1994) The Nature of the Scrapie Agent: The Virus Theory, Annals of The New York Academy of Science, 724, 246-58; Prusiner, S., Cochran, S. and Alpers, S. (1985) Transmission of Scrapie in Hamsters, Journal of Infectious Diseases, 152, 971-8 540 Kimberlin, R.H. and Walker, C.A. (1978) Pathogenesis of Mouse Scrapie: Effect of Route of Inoculation on Infectivity Titres and Dose-Response Curves, Journal of Comparative Pathology, 88, 39-47



http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/pdf/volume2/chapter3.pdf



From: TSS (216-119-138-163.ipset18.wt.net) Subject: RE--CJD&CHILDREN-- could the 'v' in vCJD simply mean vaccineCJD? Date: September 10, 2000 at 8:47 am PST

######### Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy #########



http://www.whale.to/v/singeltary7.html



10 people killed by new CJD-like disease

Public release date: 9-Jul-2008

Since Gambetti's team wrote a paper describing an initial 11 cases referred to his centre between 2002 and 2006 (Annals of Neurology, vol 63, p 697), another five have come to light. "So it is possible that it could be just the tip of the iceberg," Gambetti says.

snip...end



http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/ns-tpk070908.php



Thursday, July 10, 2008 A Novel Human Disease with Abnormal Prion Protein Sensitive to Protease update July 10, 2008



http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/07/novel-human-disease-with-abnormal-prion.html



Thursday, July 10, 2008 A New Prionopathy update July 10, 2008



http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-prionopathy-update-july-10-2008.html



Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease presenting as severe depression: a case report



http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2009/02/creutzfeldt-jacob-disease-presenting-as.html



A case-control study of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Switzerland: analysis of potential risk factors with regard to an increased CJD incidence in the years 2001-2004



http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2009/02/case-control-study-of-sporadic.html



Sunday, August 10, 2008

A New Prionopathy OR more of the same old BSe and sporadic CJD



http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-prionopathy-or-more-of-same-old-bse.html



Sunday, March 16, 2008

MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html



HUMAN and ANIMAL TSE Classifications i.e. mad cow disease and the UKBSEnvCJD only theory JUNE 2008

snip...

Tissue infectivity and strain typing of the many variants Manuscript of the human and animal TSEs are paramount in all variants of all TSE. There must be a proper classification that will differentiate between all these human TSE in order to do this. With the CDI and other more sensitive testing coming about, I only hope that my proposal will some day be taken seriously. ...

snip...



http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/06/human-and-animal-tse-classifications-ie.html



Elsevier Editorial System(tm) for The Lancet Infectious Diseases Manuscript Draft Manuscript Number: Title: HUMAN and ANIMAL TSE Classifications i.e. mad cow disease and the UKBSEnvCJD only theory Article Type: Personal View Corresponding Author: Mr. Terry S. Singeltary, Corresponding Author's Institution: na First Author: Terry S Singeltary, none Order of Authors: Terry S Singeltary, none; Terry S. Singeltary Abstract: TSEs have been rampant in the USA for decades in many species, and they all have been rendered and fed back to animals for human/animal consumption. I propose that the current diagnostic criteria for human TSEs only enhances and helps the spreading of human TSE from the continued belief of the UKBSEnvCJD only theory in 2007.

snip...see full text 31 pages ;



http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=090000648027c28e&disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf



TSS

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