Department of Microbiology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
J Appl Microbiol. 2008 Nov;105(5):1649-57. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.03916.x.
This paper describes a procedure for evaluating the presence and the stability of the proteinase K-resistant form of the prion protein (PrP(res)) in slaughterhouse wastewater.
Wastewater samples were spiked with either scrapie or bovine spongiform encephalopathy agents and PrP(res) was concentrated and detected by western blotting. The detection limit was estimated to be 2-4 microg of either scrapie or BSE-infected brain tissue in 15 ml of sewage. Wastewater samples from three abattoirs were analysed, two of which had processed BSE-infected animals. No PrP(res) was detected. The effect of sewage on the inoculum and the persistence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents in wastewater were also considered.
The results of the assay suggest that wastewaters from abattoirs where one positive BSE case has been identified would contain titres lower than 0.6-26 x 10(-4) cattle oral ID(50) per litre resulting from specified risk material tissue contamination. Moreover, the effect of abattoir wastewaters is to reduce the persistence of PrP(res).
The assay may be a useful tool for risk assessment studies and for reducing the potential risk of contamination with BSE via sewage sludge fertilizer procedures.
本文描述了一种评估屠宰废水中蛋白酶 K 抗性朊病毒蛋白（PrP(res)）存在和稳定性的方法。
向废水样品中添加朊病毒或牛海绵状脑病（BSE）制剂，并通过 Western blot 法浓缩和检测 PrP(res)。检测限估计为在 15 毫升污水中，2-4 微克的朊病毒或 BSE 感染脑组织可被检测到。分析了来自三个屠宰场的废水样品，其中两个处理过 BSE 感染动物。未检测到 PrP(res)。还考虑了污水对接种物和传染性海绵状脑病（TSE）制剂在废水中的持久性的影响。
该检测方法的结果表明，在已确定一个 BSE 阳性病例的屠宰场的废水中，由于特定风险物质组织污染，每升污水中的 TSE 效价将低于 0.6-26x10(-4)牛口服 ID(50)。此外，屠宰场废水的作用是降低 PrP(res)的持久性。
该检测方法可能是评估风险的有用工具，并且可以通过污水污泥肥料程序减少 BSE 污染的潜在风险。
