Figure 1

The host range of CWD prions. CWD prions circulate in the Cervidae reservoir (free-ranging and captive or semi-captive animals). While CWD prion strain diversity extend in the Cervidae reservoir is unknown, the strains identified so far in the North-American and European reservoirs are different. North-American CWD prions are able to propagate naturally (grey arrow) or experimentally (blue arrows) in many different species. The impact of intermediate hosts replication on the evolution and zoonotic potential of CWD prions is unknown. Many laboratory species have been experimentally infected with CWD prions, including hamsters, bank voles, transgenic mice expressing ovine or pig PrP and squirrel monkeys. CWD zoonotic threats to humans remain unclear.