Continuing Enhanced National Surveillance for Prion Diseases in the United States

Continuing Enhanced National Surveillance for Prion Diseases in the United States –


The CDC announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2012 funds for a cooperative agreement program to continue enhanced national surveillance for prion diseases in the United States. The purpose of the funding is to continue an active surveillance program similar to that conducted by the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center since 1997 to monitor the occurrence of potentially emerging human TSEs in the United States. This program addresses the ?Healthy People 2020? focus area(s) of Immunizations and Infectious Diseases. In 1997, in collaboration with the American Association of Neuropathologists (AANP), the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center was established to enhance national CJD surveillance and to make possible laboratory investigation of newly emerging prion diseases. This pathology center, located at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, provided the services of a cutting edge prion disease laboratory, filling a critical public health gap for monitoring prion diseases in humans. Neuropathology reports and submitted brain tissues have been evaluated at the NPDPSC to determine the occurrence of variant CJD and other emerging prion diseases in the United States for approximately 15 years. Eligible applicants should have experience in conducting prion disease surveillance and must be capable of fulfilling the ongoing needs for enhancing such surveillance at the national level. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. LOI: April 27, 2012. Application: June 11, 2012.

Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $2.55M. Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $12.75M (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds.) This includes direct and indirect cost. Approximate Number of Awards: One.

Eligibility: Universities/Colleges, Non-profits

Solicitation #: CDC-RFA-CK12-1208
Issue Date: 4/13/12



http://www.bonkm.com/rss.php?s=2620962








PART 1. OVERVIEW INFORMATION





DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES



Federal Agency Name: Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)



Funding Opportunity Title: Continuing Enhanced National Surveillance for Prion Diseases in the United States



Announcement Type: New



Agency Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-CK12-1208



Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283



Key Dates:



To receive notification of any changes to CDC-RFA-CK12-1208, return to the synopsis page of this announcement at: www.grants.gov and click on the “Send Me Change Notification Emails” link. An email address is needed for this service.



Letter of Intent Deadline Date: April 27, 2012



Application Deadline Date: June 11, 2012, U.S. Eastern Standard Time







Executive Summary:

Include a brief summary, one page or less in length. Per OMB guidance for Optional Additional Overview Content, the information needs to be presented in a sequential order that parallels the organization of the full text of the announcement.



Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Protect Americans from Infectious Diseases.



This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application will not be reviewed. For the definition of research, please see the CDC Web site at the following Internet address:

http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/integrity/docs/cdc-policy-distinguishing-public-health-research-nonresearch.pdf.







PART 2. FULL TEXT





I.FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION



Statutory Authority

Section 301(a) and 317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C.

Sections 247b(k)(2), as amended.



Background



Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are a group of animal and human brain diseases that are invariably fatal and often characterized by a long incubation period and a multifocal neuropathologic picture of neuronal loss, spongiform changes, and astrogliosis. Prion diseases that occur in humans include variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and classic forms of CJD, including Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia. Classic CJD generally occurs with an incidence between 0.5 and 2 cases per million annually. In the United States, national mortality surveillance indicates an annual classic CJD incidence of about one case per million. The majority of classic CJD cases (85%) occur sporadically with no known transmission pattern, while 10-15% cases occur as familial diseases associated with pathogenic mutations of the prion protein gene. The first instance of person-to-person transmission of CJD was reported through corneal transplantation in 1974. Subsequently person-to-person transmission was reported also via dura mater grafts and use of human-derived pituitary growth hormone. At present, iatrogenic CJD cases account for a small percentage of CJD patients.



Prion diseases attracted much attention and public concern after an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, commonly referred to as “mad cow” disease) was recognized among cattle in many European countries beginning in the mid-1980s. Scientific evidence indicated that foodborne transmission of BSE to humans resulted in the emergence of a new disease in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Variant CJD was first identified in 1996 in the United Kingdom where, as of November 2011, 176 definite and probable cases have been reported. An additional 49 cases have been identified in residents of countries outside the United Kingdom, including cases in France (25 cases), Spain (5 cases), Ireland (4 cases), the Netherlands (3 cases), the United States (3 cases), Canada (2 cases), Italy (2 cases), Portugal (2 cases), Japan (1 case), Saudi Arabia (1 case), and Taiwan (1 case). Epidemiologic evidence on the three vCJD cases in residents of the United States indicated that they almost certainly acquired their infection in the United Kingdom (2 cases) and in Saudi Arabia (1 case).



The practice of feeding cattle rendered animal protein was responsible for the spread of the outbreak of BSE in cattle. While this outbreak was focused primarily in the United Kingdom, BSE has since spread to cattle in 24 additional countries. Since 2009 new cases of BSE have been reported in most of the affected countries, but the number of such cases are declining as a result of strict restrictions prohibiting the practice of feeding cattle rendered animal protein.



In addition to BSE and iatrogenically transmitted CJD, another prion disease of potential public health concern in the United States is chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk. CWD in free-ranging cervids has been endemic for decades in a tricorner area of Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming. Since 2000, however, new foci of infection have been detected in 12 additional states and two Canadian provinces. The emergence of BSE as a probable foodborne pathogen has focused attention and increased concern about the possible foodborne transmission to humans of CWD from the consumption of CWD-infected deer and elk products.



Purpose



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2012 funds for a cooperative agreement program to continue enhanced national surveillance for prion diseases in the United States. The purpose of the funding is to continue an active surveillance program similar to that conducted by the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center since 1997 to monitor the occurrence of potentially emerging human TSEs in the United States. This program addresses the “Healthy People 2020” focus area(s) of Immunizations and Infectious Diseases.



In 1997, in collaboration with the American Association of Neuropathologists (AANP), the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center was established to enhance national CJD surveillance and to make possible laboratory investigation of newly emerging prion diseases. This pathology center, located at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, provided the services of a cutting edge prion disease laboratory, filling a critical public health gap for monitoring prion diseases in humans. Neuropathology reports and submitted brain tissues have been evaluated at the NPDPSC to determine the occurrence of variant CJD and other emerging prion diseases in the United States for approximately 15 years. Eligible applicants should have experience in conducting prion disease surveillance and must be capable of fulfilling the ongoing needs for enhancing such surveillance at the national level.



Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application for such research will not be reviewed. For the definition of research, please see the CDC Web site at the following Internet address:

http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/regs/hrpp/researchDefinition.htm




Program Implementation



Recipient Activities



• Perform the tests necessary to confirm the diagnosis of prion diseases and characterize infecting prions to monitor the emergence of novel human prion diseases such as variant CJD.

• Evaluate the usefulness of new diagnostic methods to improve the efficiency of national prion disease surveillance.

• Periodically contact pathologists and neuropathologists reminding them of the importance of reporting suspected variant CJD cases and requesting submission of brain tissues from patients with a physician diagnosis of prion disease.

• Collaborate with state and local health departments and other centers to establish effective ways to increase accurate diagnoses of prion diseases, including increasing the number of autopsies among physician-diagnosed or suspected prion disease cases.

• Enhance the collection, completeness, and reporting to CDC of epidemiologic information on the patients with confirmed prion diseases.

• Provide consultations and training as needed, particularly on the clinical and neuropathologic manifestations of variant CJD, to neurologists and pathologists in the United States by participating in association conferences, using the internet, etc.

• Monitor the potential occurrence of CWD among humans exposed to the CWD agent as a result of their hunting or venison consumption practices.

• Disseminate program findings to the public.



In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is substantially involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring.





CDC Activities



• Provide assistance in the dissemination and public health interpretation of results and other technical assistance as required.





II. AWARD INFORMATION



Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.

CDC substantial involvement in this program appears in the Activities Section above.

Award Mechanism: U51

Fiscal Year Funds: 2012

Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $ 2,550,000.00

Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $ 12,750,000.00 (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds.) This includes direct and indirect cost

Approximate Number of Awards: One

Approximate Average Award: $ 2,550,000.00 (This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs

Floor of Individual Award Range for the first 12-month Budget Period: 2,000,000.00

Ceiling of Individual Award Range: None, subject to availability of funds.

Anticipated Award Date: 09/30/2012

Budget Period Length: 12 months

Project Period Length: 5 years



Throughout the project period, CDC’s commitment to continuation of awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.





III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION



Eligible Applicants



Eligible applicants that can apply for this funding opportunity are listed below



· Nonprofit with 501C3 IRS status (other than institution of higher education)

· Nonprofit without 501C3 IRS status (other than institution of higher education)

· Small, minority, and women-owned businesses

· Universities

· Colleges

· Research institutions

· Hospitals

· Community-based organizations

· Faith-based organizations

· Federally recognized or state-recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribal governments

· American Indian/Alaska native tribally designated organizations

· Alaska Native health corporations

· Urban Indian health organizations

· Tribal epidemiology centers

· State and local governments or their Bona Fide Agents (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau)

Political subdivisions of States (in consultation with States)


A Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state as eligible to submit an application under the state eligibility in lieu of a state application. If applying as a bona fide agent of a state or local government, a legal, binding agreement from the state or local government as documentation of the status is required. Attach with “Other Attachment Forms” when submitting via www.grants.gov.



Required Registrations



Registering your organization through www.Grants.gov, the official agency-wide E-grant website, is the first step in submitting an application online. Registration information is located on the “Get Registered” screen of www.Grants.gov. Please visit www.Grants.gov at least 30 days prior to submitting your application to familiarize yourself with the registration and submission processes. The “one-time” registration process will take three to five days to complete. However, the Grants.gov registration process also requires that you register your organization with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and DUN and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) which will require up to at least 4 weeks to complete registration in its entirety. The CCR registration can require an additional two weeks to complete. You are required to maintain a current registration in CCR. CCR registration must be renewed annually.



Central Contractor Registration and Universal Identifier Requirements

Foreign entitities only: Prior to registering for CCR, please follow the Special Instructions for acquiring a Commerical and Governmental Entity (NCAGE) Code: http://www.dlis.dla.mil/Forms/Form_AC135.asp



All applicant organizations must obtain a DUN and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as the Universal Identifier when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements. The DUNS number is a nine-digit number assigned by Dun and Bradstreet Information Services. An Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) should be consulted to determine the appropriate number. If the organization does not have a DUNS number, an AOR should complete the US D&B D-U-N-S Number Request Form or contact Dun and Bradstreet by telephone directly at 1-866-705-5711 (toll-free) to obtain one. A DUNS number will be provided immediately by telephone at no charge. Note this is an organizational number. Individual Program Directors/Principal Investigators do not need to register for a DUNS number.

Additionally, all applicant organizations must register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and maintain the registration with current information at all times during which it has an application under consideration for funding by CDC and, if an award is made, until a final financial report is submitted or the final payment is received, whichever is later. CCR is the primary registrant database for the Federal government and is the repository into which an entity must provide information required for the conduct of business as a recipient. Additional information about registration procedures may be found at the CCR internet site at www.ccr.gov.

If an award is granted, the grantee organization must notify potential sub-recipients that no organization may receive a subaward under the grant unless the organization has provided its DUNS number to the grantee organization.



Cost Sharing or Matching



Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program.



Special Requirements:

If the application is incomplete or non-responsive to the special requirements listed in this section, it will not be entered into the review process. The applicant will be notified the application did not meet submission requirements. Late applications will be considered non-responsive. See section “IV.3. Submission Dates and Times” for more information on deadlines.



Note: Title 2 of the United States Code Section 1611 states that an organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive Federal funds constituting a grant, loan, or an award.



Maintenance of Effort



Maintenance of Effort is not required for this program




IV. Application and Submission Information



Submission Dates and Times

This announcement is the definitive guide on LOI and application content, submission, and deadline. It supersedes information provided in the application instructions. If the application submission does not meet the deadline published herein, it will not be eligible for review and the applicant will be notified the application did not meet the submission requirements.



Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline Date: April 27, 2012



Application Deadline Date: June 11, 2012, U.S. Eastern Standard Time



Applicants must download the SF424 application package associated with this funding opportunity from Grants.gov. If access to the Internet is not available or if the applicant encounters difficulty in accessing the forms on-line, contact the HHS/CDC Procurement and Grant Office Technical Information Management Section (PGO TIMS) staff at (770) 488-2700 email:pgotim@cdc.gov Monday-Friday 7:00am – 4:30pm U.S. Eastern Standard Time for further instruction. CDC Telecommunications for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at: TTY 1-888-232-6348.



If the applicant encounters technical difficulties with Grants.gov, the applicant should contact Grants.gov Customer Service. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the exception of all Federal Holidays. The Contact Center provides customer service to the applicant community. The extended hours will provide applicants support around the clock, ensuring the best possible customer service is received any time it’s needed. You can reach the Grants.gov Support Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at support@grants.gov. Submissions sent by e-mail, fax, CD’s or thumb drives of applications will not be accepted.



Content and Form of Application Submission



Unless specifically indicated, this announcement requires submission of the following information:



All applicants are required to sign and submit CDC Assurances and Certifications that can be found on the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/foamain.shtm



Print, scan and upload as an additional attachment into the application package.



Letter of Intent (LOI):



Prospective applicants are requested to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

Descriptive title of proposed project.
Name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator/Project Director.
Names of other key personnel.
Participating institutions.
Number and title of this funding opportunity.


LOI Submission Address: Submit the LOI by express mail, delivery service, fax, or E-mail to:

Nicole J. Goggins

Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30333

404 639-4414

404 639-3163

Naj4@cdc.gov



Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows CDC Program staff to estimate and plan the review of submitted applications.

Requested LOIs should be provided not later than by the date indicated in the Section I entitled “Authorization and Intent”.



A Project Abstract must be completed in the Grants.gov application forms. The Project Abstract must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained description of the project and should contain a statement of objectives and methods to be employed. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a technically literate lay reader. This abstract must not include any proprietary/confidential information.



A Project Narrative must be submitted with the application forms. The project narrative must be uploaded in a PDF file format when submitting via Grants.gov. The narrative must be submitted in the following format:

Maximum number of pages: 10. If your narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed.
Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman
Double spaced
Page margin size: One inch
Number all narrative pages; not to exceed the maximum number of pages.
Printed only on one side of page
Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips; do not bind in any other way.


The narrative should address activities to be conducted over the entire project period and must include the following items in the order listed:

*Plan

*Methods

*Objectives

*Timeline

*Staff

*Performance Measures

*Budget justification (will be included as a separate attachment, not to be counted in the narrative page limit.)

Additional information may be included in the application appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative page limit. This additional information includes:



Curriculum Vitas, Resumes, Organizational Charts, Letters of Support


Additional information submitted via Grants.gov should be uploaded in a PDF file format, and should be named:



· Program Announcement CDC-RFA-CK12-1208



No more than 5 allowable attachments should be uploaded per application.

Additional requirements for additional documentation with the application are listed in Section VII. Award Administration Information, subsection entitled “Administrative and National Policy Requirements.”



Funding Restrictions



Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing the budget, are as follows:

Recipients may not use funds for research.
Recipients may not use funds for clinical care.
Recipients may only expend funds for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services, such as contractual.
Awardees may not generally use HHS/CDC/ATSDR funding for the purchase of furniture or equipment. Any such proposed spending must be identified in the budget.
The direct and primary recipient in a cooperative agreement program must perform a substantial role in carrying out project objectives and not merely serve as a conduit for an award to another party or provider who is ineligible.
Reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed.




Additional Submission Requirements



Electronic Submission



Submit the application electronically by using the forms and instructions posted for this funding opportunity on www.Grants.gov. If access to the Internet is not available or if the applicant encounters difficulty in accessing the forms on-line, contact the HHS/CDC, Procurement and Grant Office, Technical Information Management Section (PGO TIMS) staff at (770) 488-2700 Email:pgotim@cdc.gov Monday-Friday 7:30am -4:30pm for further instruction.



Note: Application submission is not concluded until successful completion of the validation process. After submission of your application package, applicants will receive a “submission receipt” email generated by Grants.gov. Grants.gov will then generate a second e-mail message to applicants which will either validate or reject their submitted application package. This validation process may take as long as two (2) business days. Applicants are strongly encouraged to check the status of their application to ensure submission of their application package is complete and no submission errors exists. To guarantee that you comply with the application deadline published in the Funding Opportunity Announcement, applicants are also strongly encouraged to allocate additional days prior to the published deadline to file their application. Non-validated applications will not be accepted after the published application deadline date.



In the event that you do not receive a “validation” email within two (2) business days of application submission, please contact Grants.gov. Refer to the email message generated at the time of application submission for instructions on how to track your application or the Application User Guide, Version 3.0 page 57.



Applications must be submitted electronically at www.Grants.gov. Electronic applications will be considered as having met the deadline if the application has been successfully made available to CDC for processing from Grants.gov on the deadline date. The application package can be downloaded from www.Grants.gov. Applicants can complete the application package off-line, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov Web site. The applicant must submit all application attachments using a PDF file format when submitting via Grants.gov. Directions for creating PDF files can be found on the Grants.gov Web site. Use of file formats other than PDF may result in the file being unreadable by staff.



Applications submitted through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), are electronically time/date stamped and assigned a tracking number. The AOR will receive an e-mail notice of receipt when Grants.gov receives the application. The tracking number serves to document submission and initiate the electronic validation process before the application is made available to CDC for processing.



If the applicant encounters technical difficulties with Grants.gov, the applicant should contact Grants.gov Customer Service. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the exception of all Federal Holidays. The Contact Center provides customer service to the applicant community. The extended hours will provide applicants support around the clock, ensuring the best possible customer service is received any time it’s needed. You can reach the Grants.gov Support Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at support@grants.gov. Submissions sent by e-mail, fax, CD’s or thumb drives of applications will not be accepted.



Organizations that encounter technical difficulties in using www.Grants.gov to submit their application must attempt to overcome those difficulties by contacting the Grants.gov Support Center (1-800-518-4726, support@grants.gov). After consulting with the Grants.gov Support Center, if the technical difficulties remain unresolved and electronic submission is not possible to meet the established deadline, organizations may submit a request prior to the application deadline by email to the GMO/GMS [See Section VII “Agency Contacts”], for permission to submit a paper application. An organization's request for permission must: (a) include the Grants.gov case number assigned to the inquiry, (b) describe the difficulties that prevented electronic submission and the efforts taken with the Grants.gov Support Center (c) be submitted to the GMO/GMS at least 3 calendar days prior to the application deadline. Paper applications submitted without prior approval will not be considered.



If a paper application is authorized, the applicant will receive instructions from PGO TIMS to submit the original and two hard copies of the application by mail or express delivery service.



Intergovernmental Review



Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.





V. Application Review Information


Eligible applicants are required to provide measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of the CDC-RFA-CK12-1208. Measures of effectiveness must relate to the performance goals stated in the “Purpose” section of this announcement. Measures of effectiveness must be objective, quantitative and measure the intended outcome of the proposed program. The measures of effectiveness must be included in the application and will be an element of the evaluation of the submitted application.



Criteria



Eligible applications will be evaluated against the following criteria:



1. Plan (30 points)

The extent to which the applicant presents a detailed operational plan for continuing and conducting the project and which clearly and appropriately addresses all recipient activities. Extent to which the applicant demonstrates existing collaborations with a network of neuropathologists and general pathologists in the United States and experience in testing brain tissues from a substantial number of clinically suspected or diagnosed cases of CJD in the United States in multiple years.



2. Objectives (10 points)

The extent to which the applicant describes specific objectives for the continuation of the project which are consistent with the purpose of this program and which are measurable and time-phased.



3. Methods (15 points)

The extent to which the applicant clearly identifies specific assigned responsibilities for all key professional personnel assigned to carry out each of the recipient activities. Extent to which the plan clearly describes the applicant’s technical approach/methods for ensuring the completeness and reporting of epidemiologic information on the cases evaluated and extent to which the plan is adequate to accomplish the purpose. Extent to which the applicant describes specific plans for the continuation of activities that are appropriate for the purpose of the project.



4. Capacity (25 points)

The degree to which the applicant demonstrates existing laboratory capacity to perform diagnostic tests for human prion diseases and characterize infecting prions. Extent to which the applicant can document past experience and achievement in successfully completing the types of recipient activities necessary for achieving the purpose of this project. The degree to which the applicant demonstrates the ability to successfully collaborate with state and local health departments and professional associations whose members are involved in the care and diagnosis of CJD patients such as the American Academy of Neurology, the American Association of Neuropathologists, and the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathologists.



5. Evaluation (10 points)

To the extent of which the applicant provides a detailed and adequate plan for evaluating surveillance results and for evaluating progress toward achieving the purpose of the project.



6. Measures of Effectiveness (10 points)

The extent the applicant provides Measures of Effectiveness that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of the cooperative agreement. Are the measures objective and quantitative, and do they measure the intended outcome?



7. Budget (not scored)

The extent to which the line-item budget is detailed, clearly justified, consistent with the purpose and objectives of this program, and outlines how the budget relates to the recipient activities as listed under the ‘‘Program Requirements ’’ section of this program announcement.

Review and Selection Process



Review

All eligible applications will be initially reviewed for completeness by the Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) staff. In addition, eligible applications will be jointly reviewed for responsiveness by NCEZID/DHCPP and PGO. Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process. Applicants will be notified that the application did not meet eligibility and/or published submission requirements.



An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive applications according to the criteria listed in Section V. Application Review Information, subsection entitled “Criteria”. The objective review process will follow the policy requirements as stated in the GPD 2.04 at http://intranet.hhs.gov/grantsinfo/gpdstable.html. CDC employees will perform the review.



Selection



Applications will be funded in order by score and rank determined by the review panel.

CDC will provide justification for any decision to fund out of rank order.



VI. Award Administration Information


Award Notices



Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award (NoA) from the CDC Procurement and Grants Office. The NoA shall be the only binding, authorizing document between the recipient and CDC. The NoA will be signed by an authorized Grants Management Officer and e-mailed to the program director and the recipient fiscal officer identified in the application



Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, CCR Registration and Transparency Act requirements.



Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review by mail.



Administrative and National Policy Requirements



Successful applicants must comply with the administrative requirements outlined in 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 74 or Part 92, as appropriate. The following additional requirements apply to this project:

AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11 Healthy People 2020
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status
AR-25 Release and Sharing of Data
AR-27 Conference Disclaimer and Use of Logos
AR-29 Compliance with E.O. 13513 Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging While Driving, October 1, 2009.
Additional information on the requirements can be found on the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/Addtl_Reqmnts.htm.


For more information on the Code of Federal Regulations, see the National Archives and Records Administration at the following Internet address: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html









Reporting



Federal Funding Accountability And Transparency Act Of 2006 (FFATA): Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 as amended (FFATA), requires full disclosure of all entities and organizations receiving Federal funds including grants, contracts, loans and other assistance and payments through a single publicly accessible Web site, www.USASpending.gov. The Web site includes information on each Federal financial assistance award and contract over $25,000, including such information as:



1. The name of the entity receiving the award

2. The amount of the award

3. Information on the award including transaction type, funding agency, etc.

4. The location of the entity receiving the award

5. A unique identifier of the entity receiving the award; and

6. Names and compensation of highly-compensated officers (as applicable)



Compliance with this law is primarily the responsibility of the Federal agency. However, two elements of the law require information to be collected and reported by recipients: 1) information on executive compensation when not already reported through the Central Contractor Registry; and 2) similar information on all sub-awards/subcontracts/consortiums over $25,000.



For the full text of the requirements under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, please review the following website:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:s2590enr.txt.pdf





Each funded applicant must provide CDC with an annual Interim Progress Report submitted via www.grants.gov:

1. The interim progress report is due no less than 90 days before the end of the budget period. The Interim Progress Report will serve as the non-competing continuation application, and must contain the following elements:

a. Standard Form (“SF”) 424S Form.

b. SF-424A Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.

c. Budget Narrative.

d. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

e. Project Narrative.



Additionally, funded applicants must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the following reports:

2. Annual progress report, due 90 days after the end of the budget period.

3. Financial Status Report* (SF 269) and annual progress report, no more than 90 days after the end of the budget period.

Final performance and Financial Status Reports*, no more than 90 days after the end of the project period.


*Disclaimer: As of February 1, 2011, current Financial Status Report (FSR) requirements will be obsolete. Existing practices will be updated to reflect changes for implementation of the new Federal Financial Reporting (FFR) requirements.



These reports must be submitted to the attention of the Grants Management Specialist listed in the Section VII below entitled “Agency Contacts”.




VII. Agency Contacts


CDC encourages inquiries concerning this announcement.



For programmatic technical assistance, contact:



Dr. Ermias Belay, Project Officer

Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Rd, NE MS A39

Atlanta, GA 30333

Telephone: 404-639-4655

E-mail: EBelay@cdc.gov





For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:



Peaches O. Brown, Grants Management Specialist

Department of Health and Human Services

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS K14

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 770 488-2738

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For assistance with submission difficulties, contact:

Grants.gov Contact Center Phone: 1-800-518-4726 Email: support@grants.gov

Hours of Operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on Federal holidays.



For submission questions, contact:

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Email: pgotim@cdc.gov



CDC Telecommunications for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at:

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VIII. Other Information



For additional information on reporting requirements, visit the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/additional_req.shtm




Other CDC funding opportunity announcements can be found at www.grants.gov.







http://www.grants.gov/search/announce.do;jsessionid=P0BqPM1Rcys4plT9BQdtp1mWzXvVL8ZbS7C5bp2r1pjYF7hCMn5Q!98924490






Continuing Enhanced National Surveillance for Prion Diseases in the United States – The CDC announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2012 funds for a cooperative agreement program to continue enhanced national surveillance for prion diseases in the United States. The purpose of the funding is to continue an active surveillance program similar to that conducted by the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center since 1997 to monitor the occurrence of potentially emerging human TSEs in the United States. This program addresses the ?Healthy People 2020? focus area(s) of Immunizations and Infectious Diseases. In 1997, in collaboration with the American Association of Neuropathologists (AANP), the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center was established to enhance national CJD surveillance and to make possible laboratory investigation of newly emerging prion diseases. This pathology center, located at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, provided the services of a cutting edge prion disease laboratory, filling a critical public health gap for monitoring prion diseases in humans. Neuropathology reports and submitted brain tissues have been evaluated at the NPDPSC to determine the occurrence of variant CJD and other emerging prion diseases in the United States for approximately 15 years. Eligible applicants should have experience in conducting prion disease surveillance and must be capable of fulfilling the ongoing needs for enhancing such surveillance at the national level. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. LOI: April 27, 2012. Application: June 11, 2012.




Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $2.55M. Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $12.75M (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds.) This includes direct and indirect cost. Approximate Number of Awards: One.



Eligibility: Universities/Colleges, Non-profits



Solicitation #: CDC-RFA-CK12-1208

Issue Date: 4/13/12



http://www.bonkm.com/rss.php?s=2620962






?Healthy People 2020? $$$



Figure 1 . Recent emerging infectious diseases that have caused outbreaks of human disease. The majority are zoonotic diseases transmitted to humans via insect vectors or contact with wild or domesticated animals.



In a recent publication by the Institute of Medicine entitled “Microbial Threats to Health, Emergence Detection, and Response”3 , the authors suggested that a group of factors have simultaneously converged to create a “perfect microbial storm”. The most important of these factors include: adaptation of microbes, global travel and transportation, host susceptibility, climate change, economic development and land use, human demographics and behavior, a break down of both public and animal health infrastructures, poverty and social inequality. Most of these factors of emergence are manmade, and have produced a remarkable new milieu referred to as the global mixing bowl where microbes have much greater possibilities to create new niches, cross species boundaries, travel worldwide very quickly and establish new beachheads in the populations of people, animals and are also invading our environment where they are being uniquely maintained in nature outside of living hosts.



In a global economy, food for human and animal consumption is no longer produced and consumed locally. Contamination of food exported globally with microbial agents, pesticides, and exogenous toxins have become increasingly frequent, with resulting disease affecting animals and humans4. The building global demand for animal-based protein is on target to increase by 50% by the year 2020. The welfare of the animals and sustainability of today’s agricultural food systems represent growing and difficult challenges which clearly fall into a new global health agenda for animal agriculture and food supply veterinary medicine. Two examples are noted below:



o Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) emerged in the 1980s as a disease of cows produced by an aberrant protein (prions). This disease is a food-borne human pathogen producing new variant Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease in people. This event has changed how cattle are fed and the standards of global agricultural trade. The investigation of this disease, and its ultimate solution required an integrated approach by scientists and health policymakers across multiple disciplines. A similar disease, chronic wasting disease (CWD) of elk, deer and moose is spreading in North America. The mechanism of transmission is not understood. There is a risk of spread to cattle and other food animals and ultimately to humans, since the prion protein of CWD can be efficiently converted to a form that apparently overcomes the structural barriers between more distant species. A One Health approach to CWD envisions the convergence of human, veterinary, wildlife disease and research scientists to establish improved surveillance and diagnostic methods, define the transmission chain, risk of cross-species spread, and control strategies.



snip...





7





. Budget





A budget of $2,978,682 is requested to fund the Initiative for a period of 3 years.





The majority of the budget is for salaries and benefits (45%), contracts (30%) and travel (22%).





http://www.avma.org/onehealth/appendix_c.pdf






http://www.avma.org/onehealth/






Monday, October 10, 2011

EFSA Journal 2011 The European Response to BSE: A Success Story

snip...

EFSA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently delivered a scientific opinion on any possible epidemiological or molecular association between TSEs in animals and humans (EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) and ECDC, 2011). This opinion confirmed Classical BSE prions as the only TSE agents demonstrated to be zoonotic so far but the possibility that a small proportion of human cases so far classified as "sporadic" CJD are of zoonotic origin could not be excluded. Moreover, transmission experiments to non-human primates suggest that some TSE agents in addition to Classical BSE prions in cattle (namely L-type Atypical BSE, Classical BSE in sheep, transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) and chronic wasting disease (CWD) agents) might have zoonotic potential.

snip...


http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/e991.htm?emt=1




http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/e991.pdf





see follow-up here about North America BSE Mad Cow TSE prion risk factors, and the ever emerging strains of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy in many species here in the USA, including humans ;


http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/10/efsa-journal-2011-european-response-to.html





Thursday, August 12, 2010

Seven main threats for the future linked to prions

First threat

The TSE road map defining the evolution of European policy for protection against prion diseases is based on a certain numbers of hypotheses some of which may turn out to be erroneous. In particular, a form of BSE (called atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), recently identified by systematic testing in aged cattle without clinical signs, may be the origin of classical BSE and thus potentially constitute a reservoir, which may be impossible to eradicate if a sporadic origin is confirmed.

***Also, a link is suspected between atypical BSE and some apparently sporadic cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. These atypical BSE cases constitute an unforeseen first threat that could sharply modify the European approach to prion diseases.

Second threat

snip...


http://www.neuroprion.org/en/np-neuroprion.html





Sunday, August 09, 2009

CJD...Straight talk with...James Ironside...and...Terry Singeltary... 2009

http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2009/08/cjdstraight-talk-withjames.html






Tuesday, August 18, 2009

BSE-The Untold Story - joe gibbs and singeltary 1999 – 2009

http://madcowusda.blogspot.com/2009/08/bse-untold-story-joe-gibbs-and.html




====================================

The familial mutations, Gajdusek proposed, lowered the barrier to such accidental conversion. "Thus," he wrote in 1996, "with these mutations, this ordinarily rare event becomes a ... dominant inherited trait." But Weissmann's qualification still remained to be refuted: the mutations might simply allow easier entry to a lurking virus. ...page 202 Deadly Feast

===================================




something to think about for sure.

but i interpret this as (1st not the gold standard, just my opinion;-), as because of certain gene mutations, one or a family, would be more susceptible to the many different strains of TSE, and the many different proven routes and sources, (which will cause different symptoms, different incubation periods from onset of clinical symptoms to death, different parts of the brain infected, etc.). in other words, it's NOT the gene mutation that CAUSES the disease, but the fact that it makes you more SUSCEPTIBLE, to the TSEs from the surrounding environment, and PLUS accumulation, i think this plays a critical role. maybe there is a one dose scenario, but i think there is more of the 'accumulators' that go clinical, than the 'one dose'. and what is the threshold to sub-clinical to clinical ?

anyway, just pondering out loud here.


also, for anyone interested, there are some studies with links to follow here ;

http://sporadicffi.blogspot.com/




Tuesday, July 14, 2009 U.S.

Emergency Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Response Plan Summary and BSE Red Book

Date: February 14, 2000 at 8:56 am PST

WHERE did we go wrong $$$

http://madcowtesting.blogspot.com/2009/07/us-emergency-bovine-spongiform.html




LET'S take a closer look at this new prionpathy or prionopathy, and then let's look at the g-h-BSEalabama mad cow. This new prionopathy in humans? the genetic makeup is IDENTICAL to the g-h-BSEalabama mad cow, the only _documented_ mad cow in the world to date like this, ......wait, it get's better. this new prionpathy is killing young and old humans, with LONG DURATION from onset of symptoms to death, and the symptoms are very similar to nvCJD victims, OH, and the plaques are very similar in some cases too, bbbut, it's not related to the g-h-BSEalabama cow, WAIT NOW, it gets even better, the new human prionpathy that they claim is a genetic TSE, has no relation to any gene mutation in that family. daaa, ya think it could be related to that mad cow with the same genetic make-up ??? there were literally tons and tons of banned mad cow protein in Alabama in commerce, and none of it transmitted to cows, and the cows to humans there from ??? r i g h t $$$ ALABAMA MAD COW g-h-BSEalabama In this study, we identified a novel mutation in the bovine prion protein gene (Prnp), called E211K, of a confirmed BSE positive cow from Alabama, United States of America. This mutation is identical to the E200K pathogenic mutation found in humans with a genetic form of CJD. This finding represents the first report of a confirmed case of BSE with a potential pathogenic mutation within the bovine Prnp gene. We hypothesize that the bovine Prnp E211K mutation most likely has caused BSE in "the approximately 10-year-old cow" carrying the E221K mutation.


http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1000156




http://www.plospathogens.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1000156&representation=PDF



Saturday, August 14, 2010

BSE Case Associated with Prion Protein Gene Mutation (g-h-BSEalabama) and VPSPr PRIONPATHY (see mad cow feed in COMMERCE IN ALABAMA...TSS)

http://prionpathy.blogspot.com/2010/08/bse-case-associated-with-prion-protein.html



her healthy calf also carried the mutation (J. A. Richt and S. M. Hall PLoS Pathog. 4, e1000156; 2008).

This raises the possibility that the disease could occasionally be genetic in origin. Indeed, the report of the UK BSE Inquiry in 2000 suggested that the UK epidemic had most likely originated from such a mutation and argued against the scrapierelated assumption. Such rare potential pathogenic PRNP mutations could occur in countries at present considered to be free of BSE, such as Australia and New Zealand. So it is important to maintain strict surveillance for BSE in cattle, with rigorous enforcement of the ruminant feed ban (many countries still feed ruminant proteins to pigs). Removal of specified risk material, such as brain and spinal cord, from cattle at slaughter prevents infected material from entering the human food chain. Routine genetic screening of cattle for PRNP mutations, which is now available, could provide additional data on the risk to the public. Because the point mutation identified in the Alabama animals is identical to that responsible for the commonest type of familial (genetic) CJD in humans, it is possible that the resulting infective prion protein might cross the bovine-human species barrier more easily. Patients with vCJD continue to be identified. The fact that this is happening less often should not lead to relaxation of the controls necessary to prevent future outbreaks. Malcolm A. Ferguson-Smith Cambridge University Department of Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK e-mail: mailto:maf12%40cam.ac.uk Jürgen A. Richt College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, K224B Mosier Hall, Manhattan, Kansas 66506-5601, USA NATURE|Vol 457|26 February 2009



http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v457/n7233/full/4571079b.html






When L-type BSE was inoculated into ovine transgenic mice and Syrian hamster the resulting molecular fingerprint had changed, either in the first or a subsequent passage, from L-type into C-type BSE. In addition, non-human primates are specifically susceptible for atypical BSE as demonstrated by an approximately 50% shortened incubation time for L-type BSE as compared to C-type. Considering the current scientific information available, it cannot be assumed that these different BSE types pose the same human health risks as C-type BSE or that these risks are mitigated by the same protective measures.

This study will contribute to a correct definition of specified risk material (SRM) in atypical BSE. The incumbent of this position will develop new and transfer existing, ultra-sensitive methods for the detection of atypical BSE in tissue of experimentally infected cattle.



http://www.prionetcanada.ca/detail.aspx?menu=5&dt=293380&app=93&cat1=387&tp=20&lk=no&cat2





P.4.23

Transmission of atypical BSE in humanized mouse models

Liuting Qing1, Wenquan Zou1, Cristina Casalone2, Martin Groschup3, Miroslaw Polak4, Maria Caramelli2, Pierluigi Gambetti1, Juergen Richt5, Qingzhong Kong1 1Case Western Reserve University, USA; 2Instituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, Italy; 3Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany; 4National Veterinary Research Institute, Poland; 5Kansas State University (Previously at USDA National Animal Disease Center), USA

Background: Classical BSE is a world-wide prion disease in cattle, and the classical BSE strain (BSE-C) has led to over 200 cases of clinical human infection (variant CJD). Atypical BSE cases have been discovered in three continents since 2004; they include the L-type (also named BASE), the H-type, and the first reported case of naturally occurring BSE with mutated bovine PRNP (termed BSE-M). The public health risks posed by atypical BSE were largely undefined.

Objectives: To investigate these atypical BSE types in terms of their transmissibility and phenotypes in humanized mice. Methods: Transgenic mice expressing human PrP were inoculated with several classical (C-type) and atypical (L-, H-, or Mtype) BSE isolates, and the transmission rate, incubation time, characteristics and distribution of PrPSc, symptoms, and histopathology were or will be examined and compared.

Results: Sixty percent of BASE-inoculated humanized mice became infected with minimal spongiosis and an average incubation time of 20-22 months, whereas only one of the C-type BSE-inoculated mice developed prion disease after more than 2 years. Protease-resistant PrPSc in BASE-infected humanized Tg mouse brains was biochemically different from bovine BASE or sCJD. PrPSc was also detected in the spleen of 22% of BASE-infected humanized mice, but not in those infected with sCJD. Secondary transmission of BASE in the humanized mice led to a small reduction in incubation time.*** The atypical BSE-H strain is also transmissible with distinct phenotypes in the humanized mice, but no BSE-M transmission has been observed so far.

Discussion: Our results demonstrate that BASE is more virulent than classical BSE, has a lymphotropic phenotype, and displays a modest transmission barrier in our humanized mice. BSE-H is also transmissible in our humanized Tg mice. The possibility of more than two atypical BSE strains will be discussed.

Supported by NINDS NS052319, NIA AG14359, and NIH AI 77774.

http://www.prion2009.com/sites/default/files/Prion2009_Book_of_Abstracts.pdf





P26 TRANSMISSION OF ATYPICAL BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE) IN HUMANIZED MOUSE MODELS

Liuting Qing1, Fusong Chen1, Michael Payne1, Wenquan Zou1, Cristina Casalone2, Martin Groschup3, Miroslaw Polak4, Maria Caramelli2, Pierluigi Gambetti1, Juergen Richt5*, and Qingzhong Kong1 1Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; 2CEA, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, Italy; 3Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany; 4National Veterinary Research Institute, Poland; 5Kansas State University, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology Department, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA. *Previous address: USDA National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA 50010, USA

Classical BSE is a world-wide prion disease in cattle, and the classical BSE strain (BSE-C) has led to over 200 cases of clinical human infection (variant CJD). Two atypical BSE strains, BSE-L (also named BASE) and BSE-H, have been discovered in three continents since 2004. The first case of naturally occurring BSE with mutated bovine PrP gene (termed BSE-M) was also found in 2006 in the USA. The transmissibility and phenotypes of these atypical BSE strains/isolates in humans were unknown. We have inoculated humanized transgenic mice with classical and atypical BSE strains (BSE-C, BSE-L, BSE-H) and the BSE-M isolate. We have found that the atypical BSE-L strain is much more virulent than the classical BSE-C.*** The atypical BSE-H strain is also transmissible in the humanized transgenic mice with distinct phenotype, but no transmission has been observed for the BSE-M isolate so far.

III International Symposium on THE NEW PRION BIOLOGY: BASIC SCIENCE, DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY 2 - 4 APRIL 2009, VENEZIA (ITALY)


http://www.istitutoveneto.it/prion_09/Abstracts_09.pdf






I ask Professor Kong ;


Thursday, December 04, 2008 3:37 PM Subject: RE: re--Chronic Wating Disease (CWD) and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathies (BSE): Public Health Risk Assessment

''IS the h-BSE more virulent than typical BSE as well, or the same as cBSE, or less virulent than cBSE? just curious.....''

Professor Kong reply ;


.....snip


''As to the H-BSE, we do not have sufficient data to say one way or another, but we have found that H-BSE can infect humans. I hope we could publish these data once the study is complete. Thanks for your interest.''

Best regards, Qingzhong Kong, PhD Associate Professor Department of Pathology Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 44106 USA

END...TSS



Thursday, December 04, 2008 2:37 PM

"we have found that H-BSE can infect humans."

personal communication with Professor Kong. ...TSS

BSE-H is also transmissible in our humanized Tg mice.

The possibility of more than two atypical BSE strains will be discussed.



Supported by NINDS NS052319, NIA AG14359, and NIH AI 77774.


http://www.prion2009.com/sites/default/files/Prion2009_Book_of_Abstracts.pdf




http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/06/experimental-h-type-bovine-spongiform.html





Thursday, June 23, 2011


Experimental H-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy characterized by plaques and glial- and stellate-type prion protein deposits


http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/06/experimental-h-type-bovine-spongiform.html






SEE FULL TEXT OF ALL THIS HERE ;

2009 UPDATE ON ALABAMA AND TEXAS MAD COWS 2005 and 2006

http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2006/08/bse-atypical-texas-and-alabama-update.html




Saturday, June 25, 2011

Transmissibility of BSE-L and Cattle-Adapted TME Prion Strain to Cynomolgus Macaque

"BSE-L in North America may have existed for decades"

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/06/transmissibility-of-bse-l-and-cattle.html




Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME.

snip...

The rancher was a ''dead stock'' feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle...



http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf




Sunday, June 26, 2011

Risk Analysis of Low-Dose Prion Exposures in Cynomolgus Macaque

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/06/risk-analysis-of-low-dose-prion.html






Monday, September 26, 2011

L-BSE BASE prion and atypical sporadic CJD

http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2011/09/l-bse-base-prion-and-atypical-sporadic.html






Thursday, February 16, 2012

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE

31 USA SENATORS ASK PRESIDENT OBAMA TO HELP SPREAD MAD COW DISEASE 2012

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/02/bovine-spongiform-encephalopathy-bse-31.html





Thursday, February 23, 2012

EIGHT FORMER SECRETARIES OF AGRICULTURE SPEAKING AT USDA'S 2012 AGRICULTURE OUTLOOK FORUM INDUCTED INTO USA MAD COW HALL OF SHAME

http://madcowusda.blogspot.com/2012/02/eight-former-secretaries-of-agriculture.html





Sunday, March 11, 2012

APHIS Proposes New Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Import Regulations in Line with International Animal Health Standards Proposal Aims to Ensure Health of the U.S. Beef Herd, Assist in Negotiations

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/03/aphis-proposes-new-bovine-spongiform.html





Saturday, November 6, 2010

TAFS1 Position Paper on Position Paper on Relaxation of the Feed Ban in the EU

Berne, 2010 TAFS INTERNATIONAL FORUM FOR TRANSMISSIBLE ANIMAL DISEASES AND FOOD SAFETY a non-profit Swiss Foundation

http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2010/11/tafs1-position-paper-on-position-paper.html





Archive Number 20101206.4364 Published Date 06-DEC-2010 Subject PRO/AH/EDR>

Prion disease update 2010 (11) PRION DISEASE UPDATE 2010 (11)

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20101206.4364






> > > Ackerman says downed cattle are 50 times more likely to have mad cow disease (also known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE) than ambulatory cattle that are suspected of having BSE. Of the 20 confirmed cases of mad cow disease in North America since 1993, at least 16 have involved downer cattle, he said. < < <







don’t forget the children...







PLEASE be aware, for 4 years, the USDA fed our children all across the Nation (including TEXAS) dead stock downer cows, the most high risk cattle for BSE aka mad cow disease and other dangerous pathogens.



who will watch our children for CJD for the next 5+ decades ???



WAS your child exposed to mad cow disease via the NSLP ???



SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM FROM DOWNER CATTLE UPDATE



http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2009/05/who-will-watch-children.html







http://downercattle.blogspot.com/







DID YOUR CHILD CONSUME SOME OF THESE DEAD STOCK DOWNER COWS, THE MOST HIGH RISK FOR MAD COW DISEASE ??? you can check and see here ;



http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/safety/pdf/Hallmark-Westland_byState.pdf









Friday, March 09, 2012



Experimental H-type and L-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle: observation of two clinical syndromes and diagnostic challenges



Research article



http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2012/03/experimental-h-type-and-l-type-bovine.html











for more, see full text here ;



Monday, September 26, 2011



Variably Protease-Sensitive Prionopathy, Prionpathy, Prionopathy, FFI, GSS, gCJD, hvCJD, sCJD, TSE, PRION, update 2011



http://prionopathy.blogspot.com/2011/09/variably-protease-sensitive-prionopathy.html











DEEP THROAT TO TSS 2000-2001 (take these old snips of emails with how ever many grains of salt you wish. ...tss)



The most frightening thing I have read all day is the report of Gambetti's finding of a new strain of sporadic cjd in young people...Dear God, what in the name of all that is holy is that!!! If the US has different strains of scrapie.....why????than the UK...then would the same mechanisms that make different strains of scrapie here make different strains of BSE...if the patterns are different in sheep and mice for scrapie.....could not the BSE be different in the cattle, in the mink, in the humans.......I really think the slides or tissues and everything from these young people with the new strain of sporadic cjd should be put up to be analyzed by many, many experts in cjd........bse.....scrapie Scrape the damn slide and put it into mice.....wait.....chop up the mouse brain and and spinal cord........put into some more mice.....dammit amplify the thing and start the damned research.....This is NOT rocket science...we need to use what we know and get off our butts and move....the whining about how long everything takes.....well it takes a whole lot longer if you whine for a year and then start the research!!! Not sure where I read this but it was a recent press release or something like that: I thought I would fall out of my chair when I read about how there was no worry about infectivity from a histopath slide or tissues because they are preserved in formic acid, or formalin or formaldehyde.....for God's sake........ Ask any pathologist in the UK what the brain tissues in the formalin looks like after a year.......it is a big fat sponge...the agent continues to eat the brain ......you can't make slides anymore because the agent has never stopped........and the old slides that are stained with Hemolysin and Eosin......they get holier and holier and degenerate and continue...what you looked at 6 months ago is not there........Gambetti better be photographing every damned thing he is looking at.....



Okay, you need to know. You don't need to pass it on as nothing will come of it and there is not a damned thing anyone can do about it. Don't even hint at it as it will be denied and laughed at.......... USDA is gonna do as little as possible until there is actually a human case in the USA of the nvcjd........if you want to move this thing along and shake the earth....then we gotta get the victims families to make sure whoever is doing the autopsy is credible, trustworthy, and a saint with the courage of Joan of Arc........I am not kidding!!!! so, unless we get a human death from EXACTLY the same form with EXACTLY the same histopath lesions as seen in the UK nvcjd........forget any action........it is ALL gonna be sporadic!!!



And, if there is a case.......there is gonna be every effort to link it to international travel, international food, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. They will go so far as to find out if a sex partner had ever traveled to the UK/europe, etc. etc. .... It is gonna be a long, lonely, dangerous twisted journey to the truth. They have all the cards, all the money, and are willing to threaten and carry out those threats....and this may be their biggest downfall...



Thanks as always for your help. (Recently had a very startling revelation from a rather senior person in government here..........knocked me out of my chair........you must keep pushing. If I was a power person....I would be demanding that there be a least a million bovine tested as soon as possible and agressively seeking this disease. The big players are coming out of the woodwork as there is money to be made!!! In short: "FIRE AT WILL"!!! for the very dumb....who's "will"! "Will be the burden to bare if there is any coverup!"



again it was said years ago and it should be taken seriously....BSE will NEVER be found in the US! As for the BSE conference call...I think you did a great service to freedom of information and making some people feign integrity...I find it scary to see that most of the "experts" are employed by the federal government or are supported on the "teat" of federal funds. A scary picture! I hope there is a confidential panel organized by the new government to really investigate this thing.



You need to watch your back........but keep picking at them.......like a buzzard to the bone...you just may get to the truth!!! (You probably have more support than you know. Too many people are afraid to show you or let anyone else know. I have heard a few things myself... you ask the questions that everyone else is too afraid to ask.)



END...TSS





IN CONFIDENCE



Perceptions of unconventional slow virus in the USA



GAH WELLS



Report of a visit to the U.S.A. April-May 1989



3. Prof. A Robertson gave a brief account of BSE. The US approach was to accord it a very low profile indeed.



Dr. A Thiermann showed the picture in the ''Independent'' with cattle being incinerated and thought this was a fantical incident to be avoided in the USA AT ALL COSTS.



http://web.archive.org/web/20060307063531/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m11b/tab01.pdf









and they meant it !



Monday, March 19, 2012



Infectivity in Skeletal Muscle of Cattle with Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy



PLoS One. 2012; 7(2): e31449.



http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/03/infectivity-in-skeletal-muscle-of.html













Tuesday, July 14, 2009 U.S.



Emergency Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Response Plan Summary and BSE Red Book



Date: February 14, 2000 at 8:56 am PST



WHERE did we go wrong $$$





http://madcowtesting.blogspot.com/2009/07/us-emergency-bovine-spongiform.html











Comment from Terry Singeltary

Document ID: APHIS-2008-0010-0008 Document Type: Public Submission

This is comment on Proposed Rule: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Bovines and Bovine Products

Docket ID: APHIS-2008-0010 RIN:0579-AC68



Topics: No Topics associated with this document

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Document Subtype: Public Comment

Status: Posted

Received Date: March 22 2012, at 12:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Date Posted: March 22 2012, at 12:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Comment Start Date: March 16 2012, at 12:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Comment Due Date: May 15 2012, at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Tracking Number: 80fdd617

First Name: Terry

Middle Name: S.

Last Name: Singeltary

City: Bacliff

Country: United States

State or Province: TX

Organization Name: CJD TSE PRION

Submitter's Representative: CONSUMERS







Comment:

comment submission Document ID APHIS-2008-0010-0001 Greetings USDA, OIE et al, what a difference it makes with science, from one day to the next. i.e. that mad cow gold card the USA once held. up until that fateful day in December of 2003, the science of BSE was NO IMPORTS TO USA FROM BSE COUNTRY. what a difference a day makes$ now that the shoe is on the other foot, the USDA via the OIE, wants to change science again, just for trade $ I implore the OIE decision and policy makers, for the sake of the world, to refuse any status quo of the USA BSE risk assessment. if at al, the USA BSE GBR should be raise to BSE GBR IV, for the following reasons. North America is awash with many different TSE Prion strains, in many different species, and they are mutating and spreading. IF the OIE, and whatever policy makers, do anything but raise the risk factor for BSE in North America, they I would regard that to be highly suspicious. IN fact, it would be criminal in my opinion, because the OIE knows this, and to knowingly expose the rest of the world to this dangerous pathogen, would be ‘knowingly’ and ‘willfully’, just for the almighty dollar, once again. I warned the OIE about all this, including the risk factors for CWD, and the fact that the zoonosis potential was great, way back in 2002. THE OIE in collaboration with the USDA, made the legal trading of the atypical Nor-98 Scrapie a legal global commodity. yes, thanks to the OIE and the USDA et al, it’s now legal to trade the atypical Nor-98 Scrapie strain all around the globe. IF you let them, they will do the same thing with atypical BSE and CWD (both strains to date). This with science showing that indeed these TSE prion strains are transmissible. I strenuously urge the OIE et al to refuse any weakening to the USA trade protocols for the BSE TSE prion disease (all strains), and urge them to reclassify the USA with BSE GBR IV risk factor. SEE REFERENCE SOURCES IN ATTACHMENTS

SEE Terry S. Singeltary Sr. Attachment WORD FILE ;

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2008-0010-0008


http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2008-0010




Sunday, March 11, 2012





APHIS Proposes New Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Import Regulations in Line with International Animal Health Standards Proposal Aims to Ensure Health of the U.S. Beef Herd, Assist in Negotiations





http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/03/aphis-proposes-new-bovine-spongiform.html








Wednesday, April 4, 2012



Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Bovines and Bovine Products APHIS-2008-0010-0008 RIN:0579-AC68

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/04/bovine-spongiform-encephalopathy.html






Thursday, March 29, 2012



atypical Nor-98 Scrapie has spread from coast to coast in the USA 2012



NIAA Annual Conference April 11-14, 2011San Antonio, Texas



http://nor-98.blogspot.com/2012/03/atypical-nor-98-scrapie-has-spread-from.html







Wednesday, February 16, 2011



IN CONFIDENCE



SCRAPIE TRANSMISSION TO CHIMPANZEES



IN CONFIDENCE







http://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2011/02/in-confidence-scrapie-transmission-to.html







Sunday, April 18, 2010





SCRAPIE AND ATYPICAL SCRAPIE TRANSMISSION STUDIES A REVIEW 2010





http://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2010/04/scrapie-and-atypical-scrapie.html





Monday, April 25, 2011



Experimental Oral Transmission of Atypical Scrapie to Sheep



Volume 17, Number 5-May 2011





http://nor-98.blogspot.com/2011/04/experimental-oral-transmission-of.html











Wednesday, January 18, 2012



Selection of Distinct Strain Phenotypes in Mice Infected by Ovine Natural Scrapie Isolates Similar to CH1641 Experimental Scrapie



Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology:



February 2012 - Volume 71 - Issue 2 - p 140–147



http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/01/selection-of-distinct-strain-phenotypes.html









Thursday, July 14, 2011



Histopathological Studies of "CH1641-Like" Scrapie Sources Versus Classical Scrapie and BSE Transmitted to Ovine Transgenic Mice (TgOvPrP4)



http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/07/histopathological-studies-of-ch1641.html











Monday, June 27, 2011



Comparison of Sheep Nor98 with Human Variably Protease-Sensitive Prionopathy and Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker Disease



http://prionopathy.blogspot.com/2011/06/comparison-of-sheep-nor98-with-human.html




WHICH CAME FIRST, THE CART OR THE HORSE ???





Minnesota



CAPTIVE CWD CONFIRMED 2002



FREE RANGING CWD CONFIRMED 2011



http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/3/11-0685-f1.htm







Colorado



Captive CWD discovered 1967



Free ranging CWD discovered 1981



PLEASE STUDY THIS MAP !



SEE CWD MAP, RELATE TO DATES OF GAME FARM INFECTION, TO DATE OF INFECTION RATE IN WILD, SURROUNDING SAID INFECTED GAME FARMS. ...TSS



http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/3/11-0685-f1.htm









*** Chronic Wasting Disease CWD CDC REPORT MARCH 2012 ***



Saturday, February 18, 2012



Occurrence, Transmission, and Zoonotic Potential of Chronic Wasting Disease



CDC Volume 18, Number 3—March 2012



SNIP...



Long-term effects of CWD on cervid populations and ecosystems remain unclear as the disease continues to spread and prevalence increases. In captive herds, CWD might persist at high levels and lead to complete herd destruction in the absence of human culling. Epidemiologic modeling suggests the disease could have severe effects on free-ranging deer populations, depending on hunting policies and environmental persistence (8,9). CWD has been associated with large decreases in free-ranging mule deer populations in an area of high CWD prevalence (Boulder, Colorado, USA) (5).



SNIP...



Reasons for Caution There are several reasons for caution with respect to zoonotic and interspecies CWD transmission. First, there is strong evidence that distinct CWD strains exist (36). Prion strains are distinguished by varied incubation periods, clinical symptoms, PrPSc conformations, and CNS PrPSc depositions (3,32). Strains have been identified in other natural prion diseases, including scrapie, BSE, and CJD (3). Intraspecies and interspecies transmission of prions from CWD-positive deer and elk isolates resulted in identification of >2 strains of CWD in rodent models (36), indicating that CWD strains likely exist in cervids. However, nothing is currently known about natural distribution and prevalence of CWD strains. Currently, host range and pathogenicity vary with prion strain (28,37). Therefore, zoonotic potential of CWD may also vary with CWD strain. In addition, diversity in host (cervid) and target (e.g., human) genotypes further complicates definitive findings of zoonotic and interspecies transmission potentials of CWD. Intraspecies and interspecies passage of the CWD agent may also increase the risk for zoonotic CWD transmission. The CWD prion agent is undergoing serial passage naturally as the disease continues to emerge. In vitro and in vivo intraspecies transmission of the CWD agent yields PrPSc with an increased capacity to convert human PrPc to PrPSc (30). Interspecies prion transmission can alter CWD host range (38) and yield multiple novel prion strains (3,28). The potential for interspecies CWD transmission (by cohabitating mammals) will only increase as the disease spreads and CWD prions continue to be shed into the environment. This environmental passage itself may alter CWD prions or exert selective pressures on CWD strain mixtures by interactions with soil, which are known to vary with prion strain (25), or exposure to environmental or gut degradation. Given that prion disease in humans can be difficult to diagnose and the asymptomatic incubation period can last decades, continued research, epidemiologic surveillance, and caution in handling risky material remain prudent as CWD continues to spread and the opportunity for interspecies transmission increases. Otherwise, similar to what occurred in the United Kingdom after detection of variant CJD and its subsequent link to BSE, years of prevention could be lost if zoonotic transmission of CWD is subsequently identified, ...


see full text ;



*** Chronic Wasting Disease CWD CDC REPORT MARCH 2012 ***

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Occurrence, Transmission, and Zoonotic Potential of Chronic Wasting Disease

CDC Volume 18, Number 3—March 2012

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/3/11-0685_article.htm




see much more here ;


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/02/occurrence-transmission-and-zoonotic.html





Sunday, January 22, 2012

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD cervids interspecies transmission

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/01/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-cervids.html





Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Risk of Prion Zoonoses

Science 27 January 2012: Vol. 335 no. 6067 pp. 411-413 DOI: 10.1126/science.1218167

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/01/risk-of-prion-zoonoses.html





Thursday, January 26, 2012

Facilitated Cross-Species Transmission of Prions in Extraneural Tissue

Science 27 January 2012: Vol. 335 no. 6067 pp. 472-475 DOI: 10.1126/science.1215659

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/01/facilitated-cross-species-transmission.html





Saturday, March 5, 2011

MAD COW ATYPICAL CJD PRION TSE CASES WITH CLASSIFICATIONS PENDING ON THE RISE IN NORTH AMERICA

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/03/mad-cow-atypical-cjd-prion-tse-cases.html




Sunday, February 12, 2012

National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center Cases Examined1 (August 19, 2011) including Texas

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2012/02/national-prion-disease-pathology.html





Wednesday, March 28, 2012

VARIABLY PROTEASE-SENSITVE PRIONOPATHY IS TRANSMISSIBLE, price of prion poker goes up again $

http://prionopathy.blogspot.com/2012/03/variably-protease-sensitve-prionopathy.html







Monday, August 9, 2010

Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy: A new sporadic disease of the prion protein or just more PRIONBALONEY ?



snip...see full text ;

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/05/variably-protease-sensitive-prionopathy.html




http://prionopathy.blogspot.com/2011/05/variably-protease-sensitive-prionopathy.html






O.K. let's compare some recent cases of this prionpathy in other countries besides Gambetti's first 10 recently, that he claims is a spontaneous event, from a genetic disorder, that is not genetic, but sporadic, that is related to no animal TSE in North America, or the world. ...



http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2010/08/variably-protease-sensitive-prionopathy.html






Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A novel variant of human disease with a protease-sensitive prion protein and heterozygosity methionine/valine at codon 129: Case report

http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2010/10/novel-variant-of-human-disease-with.html







Wednesday, March 28, 2012

CJD FOUNDATION CWRU GAMBETTI FAMILIAL FAMILY AFFAIR CONFERENCE 2012

http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2012/03/cjd-foundation-cwru-gambetti-familial.html







Thursday, April 12, 2012

Health professions and risk of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, 1965 to 2010

Eurosurveillance, Volume 17, Issue 15, 12 April 2012

Research articles

http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2012/04/health-professions-and-risk-of-sporadic.html







Tuesday, November 08, 2011



Can Mortality Data Provide Reliable Indicators for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance? A Study in France from 2000 to 2008 Vol. 37, No. 3-4, 2011 Original Paper


Conclusions:These findings raise doubt about the possibility of a reliable CJD surveillance only based on mortality data.



http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2011/11/can-mortality-data-provide-reliable.html







Terry S. Singeltary Sr. on the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Public Health Crisis


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf3lfz9NrT4



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0tWkNvhO4g




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf3lfz9NrT4&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL780BE2AF0B62A944




full text with source references ;




http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/08/terry-singeltary-sr-on-creutzfeldt.html







PLEASE REMEMBER ;



The Akron, Ohio-based CJD Foundation said the Center for Disease Control revised that number in October of 2004 to about one in 9,000 CJD cases per year in the population group age 55 and older.

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR CJD QUESTIONNAIRE ASKING REAL QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO ROUTE AND SOURCE OF THE TSE AGENT THAT KILLED YOUR LOVED ONE ???

if not, why not...



Friday, November 30, 2007

CJD QUESTIONNAIRE USA CWRU AND CJD FOUNDATION



http://cjdquestionnaire.blogspot.com/2007/11/cjd-questionnaire.html





http://cjdquestionnaire.blogspot.com/






layperson



Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
P.O. Box 42
Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
flounder9@verizon.net