January 14, 2011 by Editor
Histoblot analysis of brain tissue from mice exposed to prion aerosols (PLoS Pathogens)The prion is the infectious agent that caused the epidemic of mad cow disease, also termed bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and claimed the life of over 280,000 cows in the past decades. Transmission of BSE to humans, e.g., by ingesting food derived from BSE-infected cows, causes variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is characterized by a progressive and invariably lethal breakdown of brain cells.
Airborne prions are also infectious and can induce mad cow disease or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disorder. This is the surprising conclusion of researchers at the University of Zurich, the University Hospital Zurich and the University of Tübingen. They recommend precautionary measures for scientific labs, slaughterhouses and animal feed plants.
It is known that prions can be transmitted through contaminated surgical instruments and, more rarely, through blood transfusions. The consumption of food products made from BSE-infected cows can also induce the disease, which is responsible for the death of almost 300 people. However, prions are not generally considered to be airborne, in contrast to many viruses including influenza and chicken pox./.../
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