Methods for Detection of Prion Protein as an Indication of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

The invention involves a non-invasive method of detecting a specific protein that indicates the presence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in ruminant animals. The invention uses monoclonal antibodies that bind to a prion protein in animal tissue from sheep, cattle, mule, deer and elk. The invention comprises a non-invasive diagnostic assay using third eyelid lymphoid tissue to detect prion protein in sheep. The invention is a specific, reliable and flexible tool to accurately diagnose TSE. This method is a practical and inexpensive way to test for presence of this potentially fatal neurological disease.

Please refer to USPN 6,514,707, which issued on February 4, 2003, and is a division of USPN 6,165,784, "Antibodies for the Detection of Prion Protein as an Indication of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies," which issued on December 26, 2000.

Inventors:

Katherine I. O’Rourke Animal Diseases Research Pullman, WA 99164-6630 (509) 335-6020 / Fax: (509) 335-8328 korourke@vetmed.wsu.edu	Donald P. Knowles, Jr. (Same as first inventor) (509) 335-6022 / Fax: (509) 335-8328 dknowles@vetmed.wsu.edu
T. V. Baszler Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164 (510) 335-6047	Steven M. Parish Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164