HC Deb 07 July 1997 vol 297 c384W
Mr. Camphell-Savours

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence his Department has evaluated in respect of the presence of abnormal isoforms of prion protein in normal fish. [6556]

Mr. Rooker

The only evidence that is available and has been evaluated by my Department is the paper recently published by C. J. Gibbs and C. L. Bolis, titled 'Normal isoform of amyloid protein (PrP) in brains of spawning salmon' (reference: MOLECULAR-PSYCHIATRY, 1997, V2, N2, MAR, Pp 145–147. ISSN: 1359–4184). In the knowledge that the normal isoform of Protease resistant Protein (PrP) has been identified in the tissues of all mammalian species thus far tested, as well as in Drosophila, the authors report the presence of this protein for the first time in the brains of fish (Pacific salmon). They go on to speculate about the theoretical probability that the abnormal isoform of PrP could arise spontaneously in fish, but do not report that it has been identified. This information has been passed to SEAC who have made no recommendations.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the incidence of abnormal isoforms of prion protein in experimentally-infected fish. [6557]

Mr. Rooker

As far as we are aware, there have been no experimental exposures of fish to spongiform encephalopathies.