Trafficking of the Prion Agent to Secondary Lymphoid Tissues

Trafficking of the Prion Agent to Secondary Lymphoid Tissues 

Role of Inflammation in the Peripheral Distribution and Transmission of the Prion Agent 

In sheep wdth mastitis, a chronic inflammation of the mammary gland, and concurrent scrapie, prion infection is present in FDCs and macrophages in lymphoid follicles that develop adjacent to mammary ducts (Ligios et ah, 2005). Although, there are no accounts of prion shedding from colostrum in scrapie-infected sheep without mastitis, macrophages can be shed into the milk of sheep with mastitis. Secretion of the scrapie-infected macrophages in colostrum of sheep with mastitis could potentially play a role in vertical transmission of scrapie since the route of spread from ewe to lamb has not been determined. 

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