Bartelt-Hunt wins award to study environmental impact of prion
diseases Released on 03/27/2012, at 2:00 AM Office of University
Communications University of Nebraska–Lincoln Deadly prion
diseases, such as chronic wasting disease and bovine spongiform
encephalopathy, or BSE, survive in soil for years and can remain
infectious in the environment. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln
engineer's research could provide insights about how to control
this soil-borne threat. Prion diseases are highly infectious and
can spread to soil through blood, saliva, feces, urine and even
antler velvet. Once in the soil, infectious prion proteins can
persist and remain infectious for decades. Although
environmental transmission is considered an important route for
spreading of prion diseases, researchers have limited
understanding of how prions behave in the environment. Shannon
Bartelt-Hunt, assistant professor of civil engineering at UNL,
is shedding light on the complex interaction between prions and
soil. A five-year, $413,883