METHOD FOR DIAGNOSING A TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM SUBACUTE ENCEPHALOPATHY CAUSED BY AN UNCONVENTIONAL TRANSMISSIBLE AGENT STRAIN IN A BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE

摘要

The invention concerns a method for diagnosing a transmissible spongiform subacute encephalopathy caused by an unconventional transmissible agent strain Said method consists in: (1) treating said sample with at least a protease K so as to completely degrade PrPsense in conditions whereby all or part of the repeat octa-peptide motifs of PrPres are preserved, whatever the strain; (2) contacting said treated sample with a ligand capable of specifically identifying said repeat octa-peptide motifs, and (3) detecting the possible presence of the ligand-repeat octa-peptide motifs complex. The invention also concerns a differential-diagnosis method.