title: From prions to prionic viruses.
abstract: The pathogens causing scrapie and other similar degenerative neurological diseases are called "prions" and classified either as viruses or, more often, as a novel class of pathogens. It is argued herein that prions are not the pathogens producing these diseases. The pathogens involved are endogenous viral systems inherited by the host. These endogenous parasites, tentatively named prionic viruses, produce the prions which are horizontally transmitted. The prions trigger the pathological manifestation of prionic viruses.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D011328:Prions / Q000502:physiology; D014780:Viruses
chemical_list: D011328:Prions