Back in early November, Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reported New chronic wasting disease test: Game-changer or unproven?
Want to know more about research going into that rapid field test for CWD? A chance comes through a tweet by the University of Minnesota's Peter Larsen:
Latest preprint from the @UMN_MNPRO team! We leveraged nanotech & #prion amplification to produce a sensitive, reliable, and field-deployable #CWD 🦌 assay! Thanks to #mnleg @mnenrtf @UMN_MAES @umnCVM https://t.co/vl6qluBb5O
— Peter Larsen (@peter_a_larsen) November 23, 2021
The entire as-yet-to-be-peer reviewed article can read here. We signed up for notices about the article as it makes its way through the peer-review and publication process.
The acknowledgements illustrate a commitment to white-tailed deer:
Dr. Christopher Ertsgaard and Dong-Jun Lee provided discussions on experimental results and protocols. Portions of this work were conducted in the Minnesota Nano Center, which is supported by the National Science Foundation through the National Nano Coordinated Infrastructure Network (NNCI) under Award Number ECCS-2025124. Fred Schendel, Tom Douville, and staff of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Resource Center provided critical support with respect to large-scale production of recombinant proteins. We thank the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, especially Michelle Carstensen, Erik Hildebrand, Patrick Hagen and Kelsie LaSharr, for providing the white-tailed deer tissues used for our analyses and logistical assistance for MN-QuIC field-deployment. Kathi Wilson of the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory kindly provided assistance with ELISA and IHC testing of samples reported herein. Suzanne Stone provided valuable logistical assistance with our molecular work. We thank NIH Rocky Mountain Labs, especially Byron Caughey, Andrew Hughson, and Christina Orru for training and assistance with the implementation of RT-QuIC and for supplying the rHaPrP clone. Funding for research performed herein was provided by the Minnesota State Legislature through the Minnesota Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Rapid Agricultural Response Fund, and start-up funds awarded to PAL through the Minnesota Agricultural, Research, Education, Extension and Technology Transfer (AGREETT) program
Roseville DFL state representative, suburban mom, and deer hunter Jamie Becker-Finn tweeted her approval:
Would have loved to have this available in the field this year! Great job @UMN_MNPRO https://t.co/SqjZKhl6TL
— Jamie Becker-Finn (@jbeckerfinn) November 23, 2021
A November 10 letter to the editor of the Star Tribune from a veterinarian about the rapid test spells out the benefits of the test in lay persons' terms:
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have adapted a test for some human neurodegenerative diseases to detect chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions in live deer, fecal matter and soil. Deer carrying prions that cause CWD shed the pathogenic proteins for months before showing signs of illness, and because currently available tests are extremely difficult to administer to live animals, scientists usually find cases after the fact. But because this new and rapid infield test has not been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it has been reported that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and state Board of Animal Health have declined to use it.
As a veterinarian following the progression of this disease in North America, I find it appalling that these responsible agencies are taking such a position. So I advise deer hunters and venison consumers to take every precaution and appeal to Gov. Tim Walz to investigate and override this bureaucratic paralysis. There is urgency since this disease is spreading through deer herds across the U.S., and it may be only a matter of time before it mutates and infects other species, including us.
Michael W. Fox, Golden Valley
Those who wish to contact Governor Walz maybe do so here at his office's contact page. Please be civil and direct.
Related posts:
- Minnesota CWD update: Changes for deer hunters in southern Red River Valley
- MN DNR: CWD suspected in a wild deer harvested along northwestern MN border
- Minnesota Chronic Wasting Disease news digest: upcoming firearms hunt spurs coverage
- Watch MNHouse Environment Committee hearing on CWD, EAB & local government water grants
- DNR: Chronic wasting disease testing is mandatory for MN deer opener in CWD zones
- CWD: Outdoors writer bags skinny doe, responds to American Cervid Alliance guy's letter
- State rep Tim Miller: MN state public officials beholden to radical anti-livestock enviro groups
- MN Deer Farmers Association sends House environmental committee chair a letter
- DNR temporarily bans farmed deer movement into & within MN to protect wild white-tailed deer
- CWD update: DNR Commissioner's letter to BAH Director on regulation to protect state's wild deer
- Bemidji Pioneer: Must-read article on illegal dumped CWD deer remains in Beltrami County
- Statement: Minnesota DNR learns of 2 deer farms that received deer from CWD+ farm in Wisconsin
- Hunters, tribes, conservation groups and St. Louis County call on state to get rid of deer farms
- Tune in to House Enviro Committee hearing tomorrow morning for latest CWD information
- MN DNR press release: Return to mandatory testing in chronic wasting disease zones this season
- South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks: CWD detected in mule deer in new area, Perkins County
- UMN MNPRO’s latest research detects CWD prions in cervid muscles using RT-QuIC
- MNReformer Radio podcast interviews Jamie Becker-Finn on Chronic Wasting Disease politics
- Listen to MN House environment committee chair Rep. Rick Hansen talk CWD on Matt McNeil Show
- Special Board of Animal Health meeting to review farmed Cervidae rulemaking postponed
- Bad news from the North: CWD sweeps through Alberta & Saskatchewan deer & elk herds
- Forum News Service: MN Deerhunters Association wants to end deer farming
- Just in: House DFL Lawmakers urge resignation of Minnesota Board of Animal Health President
- Star Tribune: Deer farming and "CWD-infested dump site on public land" in Beltrami County
- Are deer farmers posing against MN DNR rule pausing movement of captive whitetails?
- MN DNR temporarily bans movement of farmed whitetails in state to protect wild deer health
- 5 more MN deer farm herds exposed to CWD; Beltrami carcass dump site inquiry continues
- News release: U of M testing finds presence of CWD prions at Beltrami Co. carcass dump site
- BAH: Southern Minnesota CWD investigation identifies new infection in Beltrami County
- Concerned about CWD in MN deer? Learn about new research from MNPRO's Peter Larsen
- Some of the science at the center of Update on Chronic Wasting Disease Efforts hearing
- VIDEO: MNHouse passes bill for process to extend funding for ENRTF projects for one year
- Session Daily: Experts want to study how CWD flows in state's waterways
- Sen. Andrew Lang seems behind the curve on current funding & progress of CWD test research
- VIDEO: University of Minnesota scientists share CWD research, search for test with lawmakers
- Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund plan from U of M for CWD diagnostic test
- Peter Larsen slideshow: Development of Advanced Diagnostic Tests for CWD by U of M
Photo: A wild white tail buck.
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