Prion disease

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in both humans and animals. Scrapie is the most common form in animals, while in humans the most prevalent form is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This group of disorders is characterized at a neuropathological level by vacuolation of the brain's gray matter (spongiform change). They were initially considered to be examples of slow virus infections. Experimental work has consistently failed to demonstrate detectable nucleic acids—both ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)—as constituting part of the infectious agent. Contemporary understanding suggests that the infectious particles are composed predominantly, or perhaps even solely, of protein, and from this concept was derived the acronym prion (proteinaceous infectious particles). Also of interest is the apparent paradox of how these disorders can be simultaneously infectious and yet inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion (from a gene on a chromosome other than a sex chromosome).

Disorders

Scrapie, which occurs naturally in sheep and goats, was the first of the spongiform encephalopathies to be described. An increasing range of animal species have been recognized as occasional natural hosts of this type of disease. Bovine spongioform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, has been epidemic in British cattle. The first confirmed cases were reported in late 1986. By early 1995 it had been identified in almost 150,000 cattle and more than half of all British herds. Its exact origin is not known, but claims that it came from sheep are now discredited.

So far, animal models have indicated that only central nervous system tissue has been shown to transmit the disease after oral ingestion—a diverse range of other organs, including udder, skeletal muscle, lymph nodes, liver, and buffy coat of blood (white blood cells) proving noninfectious.

The currently recognized spectrum of human disorders encompasses kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease, and fatal familial insomnia. All, including familial cases, have been shown to be transmissible to animals and hence potentially infectious; all are invariably fatal with no effective treatments currently available.

Human-to-human transmission

A variety of mechanisms of human-to-human transmission have been described. Transmission is due in part to the ineffectiveness of conventional sterilization and disinfection procedures to control the infectivity of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Numerically, pituitary hormone–related Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is the most important form of human-to-human transmission of disease. However, epidemiological evidence suggests that there is no increased risk of contracting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from exposure in the form of close personal contact during domestic and occupational activities. Incubation periods in cases involving human-to-human transmission appear to vary enormously, depending upon the mechanism of inoculation. Current evidence suggests that transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from mother to child does not occur. Two important factors pertaining to transmissibility are the method of inoculation and the dose of infectious material administered. A high dose of infectious material administered by direct intracerebral inoculation is clearly the most effective method of transmissibility and generally provides the shortest incubation time. See Brain, Mutation, Nervous system disorders

prion disease

prion

[pri´on] any of several pathogenic, transmissible forms of the core of prion protein that cause a group of degenerative diseases of the nervous system known as prion diseases. Prions have a structure different from that of normal prion protein, lack detectable nucleic acid, and do not elicit an immune response.prion disease any of a group of fatal degenerative diseases of the nervous system caused by abnormalities in the metabolism of prion protein. These diseases are unique in that they may be transmitted genetically as an autosomal dominant trait, or by infection with abnormal forms of the protein (prions). Inherited forms result from mutations in the gene that codes for prion protein; such mutations may also occur sporadically. Hereditary forms include some forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Sträussler syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia. Infectious forms of the disease result from ingestion of infected tissue or the introduction of infected tissue into the body (kuru" >kuru and some forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). The latter has occasionally occurred during surgical procedures; it has also occurred as the result of injection of human growth hormone prepared from infected pituitary glands. Prion diseases also occur in animals. Called also transmissible neurodegenerative disease and subacute spongiform or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.

prion disease

Any transmissible neurodegenerative disease believed to be caused by a proteinaceous infectious particle (also known as prion proteins, or PrPs). PrPs change other cellular proteins, producing intracellular vacuoles (“spongiform change”) that disrupt the functioning of neurons. Included in this group are Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, Gerstmann-Strüssler-Scheinker syndrome, kuru, and fatal familial insomnia in humans, mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), and scrapie in sheep and goats. Prion diseases may be transmitted by hereditary changes in the gene coding PrP; by contaminated biological agents such as plasma or serum, human growth hormone, and organ transplants; and possibly, by eating the flesh of infected animals. All prion diseases are characterized by a long incubation period, followed by a rapidly progressive dementia.

prion disease

See PRION PROTEIN, PRION PROTEIN DISEASE and CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE.

单词	prion disease
释义	DictionarySeetransmissible spongiform encephalopathy Prion disease Prion disease Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in both humans and animals. Scrapie is the most common form in animals, while in humans the most prevalent form is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This group of disorders is characterized at a neuropathological level by vacuolation of the brain's gray matter (spongiform change). They were initially considered to be examples of slow virus infections. Experimental work has consistently failed to demonstrate detectable nucleic acids—both ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)—as constituting part of the infectious agent. Contemporary understanding suggests that the infectious particles are composed predominantly, or perhaps even solely, of protein, and from this concept was derived the acronym prion (proteinaceous infectious particles). Also of interest is the apparent paradox of how these disorders can be simultaneously infectious and yet inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion (from a gene on a chromosome other than a sex chromosome). Disorders Scrapie, which occurs naturally in sheep and goats, was the first of the spongiform encephalopathies to be described. An increasing range of animal species have been recognized as occasional natural hosts of this type of disease. Bovine spongioform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, has been epidemic in British cattle. The first confirmed cases were reported in late 1986. By early 1995 it had been identified in almost 150,000 cattle and more than half of all British herds. Its exact origin is not known, but claims that it came from sheep are now discredited. So far, animal models have indicated that only central nervous system tissue has been shown to transmit the disease after oral ingestion—a diverse range of other organs, including udder, skeletal muscle, lymph nodes, liver, and buffy coat of blood (white blood cells) proving noninfectious. The currently recognized spectrum of human disorders encompasses kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease, and fatal familial insomnia. All, including familial cases, have been shown to be transmissible to animals and hence potentially infectious; all are invariably fatal with no effective treatments currently available. Human-to-human transmission A variety of mechanisms of human-to-human transmission have been described. Transmission is due in part to the ineffectiveness of conventional sterilization and disinfection procedures to control the infectivity of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Numerically, pituitary hormone–related Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is the most important form of human-to-human transmission of disease. However, epidemiological evidence suggests that there is no increased risk of contracting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from exposure in the form of close personal contact during domestic and occupational activities. Incubation periods in cases involving human-to-human transmission appear to vary enormously, depending upon the mechanism of inoculation. Current evidence suggests that transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from mother to child does not occur. Two important factors pertaining to transmissibility are the method of inoculation and the dose of infectious material administered. A high dose of infectious material administered by direct intracerebral inoculation is clearly the most effective method of transmissibility and generally provides the shortest incubation time. See Brain, Mutation, Nervous system disorders prion disease prion [pri´on] any of several pathogenic, transmissible forms of the core of prion protein that cause a group of degenerative diseases of the nervous system known as prion diseases. Prions have a structure different from that of normal prion protein, lack detectable nucleic acid, and do not elicit an immune response.prion disease any of a group of fatal degenerative diseases of the nervous system caused by abnormalities in the metabolism of prion protein. These diseases are unique in that they may be transmitted genetically as an autosomal dominant trait, or by infection with abnormal forms of the protein (prions). Inherited forms result from mutations in the gene that codes for prion protein; such mutations may also occur sporadically. Hereditary forms include some forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Sträussler syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia. Infectious forms of the disease result from ingestion of infected tissue or the introduction of infected tissue into the body (kuru" >kuru and some forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). The latter has occasionally occurred during surgical procedures; it has also occurred as the result of injection of human growth hormone prepared from infected pituitary glands. Prion diseases also occur in animals. Called also transmissible neurodegenerative disease and subacute spongiform or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. prion disease Any transmissible neurodegenerative disease believed to be caused by a proteinaceous infectious particle (also known as prion proteins, or PrPs). PrPs change other cellular proteins, producing intracellular vacuoles (“spongiform change”) that disrupt the functioning of neurons. Included in this group are Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, Gerstmann-Strüssler-Scheinker syndrome, kuru, and fatal familial insomnia in humans, mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), and scrapie in sheep and goats. Prion diseases may be transmitted by hereditary changes in the gene coding PrP; by contaminated biological agents such as plasma or serum, human growth hormone, and organ transplants; and possibly, by eating the flesh of infected animals. All prion diseases are characterized by a long incubation period, followed by a rapidly progressive dementia. prion disease See PRION PROTEIN, PRION PROTEIN DISEASE and CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE. ThesaurusSeeprion
随便看	wvdmaps wvdmv wvdnr wvdo wvdob wvdoc wvdoe wvdof wvdoh wvdot wvdp wvdr wvdrs wvds wvdsa wvdt wvdv wve wvea wveb wvec wvectcr wveda wvedc wvef