Prions, BSE and food. 2002

Dominique Dormont
CEA, Service de Neurovirologie, Centre de Recherches du Service de Santé des Armées, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Fontenay aux Roses, France.

Biochemical and biophysical properties of prions including possible inactivation methods are reviewed. Possible molecular markers of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) and mechanisms behind infectivity and correlation with clinical symptoms are discussed. The risk of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) for humans i.e. variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (cCJD) is addressed in detail. The consequences of the emergence of the new cCJD and the lack of information on the infectivity of cCJD at the clinical stage of the disease in relation to the need to reconsider the biological concepts currently used in microbiology.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007562 Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome A rare transmissible encephalopathy most prevalent between the ages of 50 and 70 years. Affected individuals may present with sleep disturbances, personality changes, ATAXIA; APHASIA, visual loss, weakness, muscle atrophy, MYOCLONUS, progressive dementia, and death within one year of disease onset. A familial form exhibiting autosomal dominant inheritance and a new variant CJD (potentially associated with ENCEPHALOPATHY, BOVINE SPONGIFORM) have been described. Pathological features include prominent cerebellar and cerebral cortical spongiform degeneration and the presence of PRIONS. (From N Engl J Med, 1998 Dec 31;339(27)) New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease,Spongiform Encephalopathy, Subacute,CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease),Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease,Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease,Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Familial,Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, New Variant,Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Variant,Familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease,Jakob-Creutzfeldt Disease,Jakob-Creutzfeldt Syndrome,V-CJD (Variant-Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease),Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease,CJD (Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease),Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease,Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease, Familial,Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease, New Variant,Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease, Variant,Creutzfeldt Jakob Syndrome,Creutzfeldt-Jakob Diseases, Familial,Disease, Creutzfeldt Jacob,Disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob,Disease, Familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob,Disease, Jakob-Creutzfeldt,Encephalopathies, Subacute Spongiform,Encephalopathy, Subacute Spongiform,Familial Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease,Familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob Diseases,Jacob Disease, Creutzfeldt,Jakob Creutzfeldt Disease,Jakob Creutzfeldt Syndrome,New Variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease,Spongiform Encephalopathies, Subacute,Subacute Spongiform Encephalopathies,Subacute Spongiform Encephalopathy,Syndrome, Creutzfeldt-Jakob,Syndrome, Jakob-Creutzfeldt,V CJD (Variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease),Variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
D011328 Prions Small proteinaceous infectious particles which resist inactivation by procedures that modify NUCLEIC ACIDS and contain an abnormal isoform of a cellular protein which is a major and necessary component. The abnormal (scrapie) isoform is PrPSc (PRPSC PROTEINS) and the cellular isoform PrPC (PRPC PROTEINS). The primary amino acid sequence of the two isoforms is identical. Human diseases caused by prions include CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB SYNDROME; GERSTMANN-STRAUSSLER SYNDROME; and INSOMNIA, FATAL FAMILIAL. Mink Encephalopathy Virus,Prion,Encephalopathy Virus, Mink
D002417 Cattle Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor. Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D003257 Consumer Product Safety The sum total of measures taken and regulatory policies enacted to ensure the safe use of consumer products. Safety, Consumer Product,Product Approval,Product Approvals,Product Safety, Consumer
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015047 Zoonoses Diseases of non-human animals that may be transmitted to HUMANS or may be transmitted from humans to non-human animals. Zoonotic Spillover,Zoonotic Diseases,Zoonotic Infections,Zoonotic Infectious Diseases,Disease, Zoonotic,Disease, Zoonotic Infectious,Diseases, Zoonotic,Diseases, Zoonotic Infectious,Infection, Zoonotic,Infections, Zoonotic,Infectious Disease, Zoonotic,Infectious Diseases, Zoonotic,Spillovers, Zoonotic,Zoonotic Disease,Zoonotic Infection,Zoonotic Infectious Disease,Zoonotic Spillovers
D015415 Biomarkers Measurable and quantifiable biological parameters (e.g., specific enzyme concentration, specific hormone concentration, specific gene phenotype distribution in a population, presence of biological substances) which serve as indices for health- and physiology-related assessments, such as disease risk, psychiatric disorders, ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE and its effects, disease diagnosis; METABOLIC PROCESSES; SUBSTANCE ABUSE; PREGNANCY; cell line development; EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES; etc. Biochemical Markers,Biological Markers,Biomarker,Clinical Markers,Immunologic Markers,Laboratory Markers,Markers, Biochemical,Markers, Biological,Markers, Clinical,Markers, Immunologic,Markers, Laboratory,Markers, Serum,Markers, Surrogate,Markers, Viral,Serum Markers,Surrogate Markers,Viral Markers,Biochemical Marker,Biologic Marker,Biologic Markers,Clinical Marker,Immune Marker,Immune Markers,Immunologic Marker,Laboratory Marker,Marker, Biochemical,Marker, Biological,Marker, Clinical,Marker, Immunologic,Marker, Laboratory,Marker, Serum,Marker, Surrogate,Serum Marker,Surrogate End Point,Surrogate End Points,Surrogate Endpoint,Surrogate Endpoints,Surrogate Marker,Viral Marker,Biological Marker,End Point, Surrogate,End Points, Surrogate,Endpoint, Surrogate,Endpoints, Surrogate,Marker, Biologic,Marker, Immune,Marker, Viral,Markers, Biologic,Markers, Immune
D016643 Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform A transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of cattle associated with abnormal prion proteins in the brain. Affected animals develop excitability and salivation followed by ATAXIA. This disorder has been associated with consumption of SCRAPIE infected ruminant derived protein. This condition may be transmitted to humans, where it is referred to as variant or new variant CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB SYNDROME. (Vet Rec 1998 Jul 25;143(41):101-5) Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy,Mad Cow Disease,Spongiform Encephalopathy, Bovine,BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy),Encephalitis, Bovine Spongiform,BSEs (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy),Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis,Mad Cow Diseases
D017096 Prion Diseases A group of genetic, infectious, or sporadic degenerative human and animal nervous system disorders associated with abnormal PRIONS. These diseases are characterized by conversion of the normal prion protein to an abnormal configuration via a post-translational process. In humans, these conditions generally feature DEMENTIA; ATAXIA; and a fatal outcome. Pathologic features include a spongiform encephalopathy without evidence of inflammation. The older literature occasionally refers to these as unconventional SLOW VIRUS DISEASES. (From Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998 Nov 10;95(23):13363-83) Dementias, Transmissible,Spongiform Encephalopathies, Transmissible,Transmissible Dementias,Encephalopathies, Spongiform, Transmissible,Human Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, Inherited,Inherited Human Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies,Prion Disease,Prion Protein Diseases,Prion-Associated Disorders,Prion-Induced Disorder,Prion-Induced Disorders,Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies,Dementia, Transmissible,Disorder, Prion-Induced,Disorders, Prion-Induced,Encephalopathies, Transmissible Spongiform,Encephalopathy, Transmissible Spongiform,Prion Induced Disorder,Prion Protein Disease,Spongiform Encephalopathy, Transmissible,Transmissible Dementia,Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy

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