Systems Biology and Molecular Ecology of Chronic Wasting Disease

Prion diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE aka “mad cow disease”), human forms (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) and chronic wasting disease (CWD), a contagious prion disease of deer, elk and moose, are slowly-progressing, fatal, brain-destroying diseases. Since 1967, CWD has spread from Colorado to 24 US states, Alberta and Saskatchewan (with adjacent BC, Manitoba and the Yukon at risk). Europe (Norway) reported its first case of CWD in a reindeer in April 2016. CWD is spreading throughout Canada, and could infect and kill many of our ~2 million cervids. This would affect those who rely on cervids for food and culture, affect ecosystems and biodiversity, and hurt our reputation as a wildlife destination. Among the major challenges: the rate/method of infection/spread is not fully known nor is the risk of contagion to humans and other mammals; therefore, management strategies lack the information necessary to be effective. Instead, we now have a critical window of opportunity to direct mitigation efforts to where they are needed in a timely way.We will develop tools to test strains of CWD, to test cervids and their environment, to model spatial risk and predict spread, and to assemble information kits for direct use by Canadians. Collectively, these tools will provide an unprecedented “early detection/rapid response” approach for use by hunters and First Nations and by managers to promote effective surveillance and management strategies.

朊病毒疾病（Prion diseases）包括牛海绵状脑病（Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE，俗称“疯牛病”）、人类型克雅氏症（Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease），以及感染鹿、麋鹿与驼鹿的传染性朊病毒疾病——慢性消耗病（Chronic Wasting Disease, CWD），均为进展缓慢、致命且可导致脑组织损伤的疾病。自1967年以来，CWD已从科罗拉多州扩散至美国24个州、加拿大阿尔伯塔省与萨斯喀彻温省，邻近的不列颠哥伦比亚省、曼尼托巴省及育空地区均面临感染风险。2016年4月，欧洲的挪威首次报告驯鹿感染CWD的病例。目前CWD在加拿大境内持续蔓延，可能感染并造成该国约200万头鹿科动物（cervids）大量死亡，这将对依赖鹿科动物获取食物、传承文化的群体造成冲击，破坏生态系统与生物多样性，并损害加拿大作为野生动物旅游目的地的声誉。当前面临的核心挑战包括：感染速率与传播途径尚未完全明确，其传染给人类及其他哺乳动物的风险也未得到充分评估；因此现有的管理策略缺乏有效实施所需的必要信息。当前我们正处于关键的机遇窗口期，能够及时将防控资源部署至亟需的区域。我们将开发一系列工具，用于检测CWD毒株、检测鹿科动物及其生存环境，构建空间风险模型以预测传播趋势，并汇编实用信息手册供加拿大民众直接使用。综合来看，这些工具将提供前所未有的“早期检测/快速响应”方案，可供猎人、第一民族（First Nations）群体及管理人员使用，以推动高效的监测与管理策略落地实施。