Prion Diseases

Prion diseases are a group of rare, infectious, fatal neurological disorders, caused by misfolded prion proteins. Prion proteins are normally present in mammals, however, when misfolded and accumulated, it results in neuronal damage, leading to memory loss, dementia, psychomotor disturbances and ultimately death. Prion diseases are transmissible, as the misfolded prion can spread from one organism to another. Prion diseases affect both animals and humans, commonly known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), respectively. As of now, there is no known cure for prion diseases, therefore preventing the transmission is the only way of combating the disease. Vaccination programs and bio-security measures can be used to protect livestock and minimize the transmission of prion diseases. Prion diseases are of great significance, as they are an important area of research, due to their complex and contagious nature.