Prions: health scare and biological challenge.
Although human prion diseases are rare, the incidence of 'new variant' Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United Kingdom is increasing exponentially. Given that this disease is probably the result of infection with bovine prions, understanding how prions replicate--and how to counteract their action--has become a central issue for public health. What are the links between the bovine and human prion diseases, and how do prions reach and damage the central nervous system?
Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. Adriano@pathol.unizh.ch
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D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D011328:Prions / Q000502:physiology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism
D011328:Prions