Conduct research on amplification assays in wild cervids and other new test methods

This U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Cooperative Agreement, awarded under the Wildlife Services program (CFDA 10.028), provides $247,764 to the University of Georgia to conduct research on improved methods for detecting chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild cervids.

The primary goals are to develop a CRISPR-based ELISA amplification assay (CLISA) for rapid CWD detection, optimize the assay, and evaluate its performance compared to standard ELISA testing using clinical samples. The project will also assess the suitability of the CLISA method for detecting CWD in non-traditional sample types like feces. A sub-award to Varigen Biosciences Corp will support the development of the CLISA assay. Successful completion of this project is expected to deliver a novel, highly sensitive diagnostic tool to enhance CWD surveillance and management efforts targeting wild deer and elk populations.

Activities to be performed include development of crispr-elisa amplification assay (CLISA) for the detection of CWD as outlined in priority area #3, we propose to develop a crispr based elisa amplification assay (CLISA) for detection of CWD from samples. Assay conditions will be optimized, and sensitivity and specificity of the assay will be determined.; testing of different sample types with CLISA different sample types such as obex, retropharyngeal lymph nodes, and other samples including nasal swabs and feces as available from hunter-killed deer will be tested by this newly developed amplification assay. The aim is to be able to detect CWD rapidly in samples collected from wild cervids. For this, samples will be spiked with recombinant prpc and processed using standard methods; comparison of CLISA with elisa using clinical samples performance of novel amplification method (CLISA) will be compared with elisa (BIO-RAD). This method is currently being used in our lab at the avdl to test samples for CWD. Samples received at the avdl for surveillance TES ting from clients including georgia department of natural resources, and samples received at the UMN VDL (minnesota is a CWD positive state) will be tested by both the methods successful completion of this project will lead to development of a novel amplification assay which harnesses the power of crispr technology to improve the sensitivity of elisa for the detection of CWD. In addition, suitability of this new method will be evaluated to detect CWD in samples collected antemortem (such as feces etc.) in addition to conventional sample types. The main audience or population that will benefit from this proposal are the clients submitting cervid samples for diagnosis or surveillance of CWD in wild cervids. These clients include the department of natural resources, US fish and wildlife service, and other veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Subawardee - varigen biosciences