Experimental kuru in Macaca nemestrina: new anatomical data.

In Macaca nemestrina inoculated intracerebrally by a pin-point injection with a strain of kuru Kupenota (2nd passage), the lesions consisted of spongiosis of neuropile with severe astrocytic hyperplasia, located in the grey matter of cerebral hemispheres (cortex, neostriatum). In all cases, the distribution of lesions was asymmetrical, predominating on the side of injection. These results suggest that kuru agent could be replicate around the injection site, but the influence of the host and/or the strain could not be excluded.