3.8 (2) Prions Flashcards
prions cause what group of diseases
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
TSEs are what type of disease
neurodegenerative prion diseases
what are prions
proteinaceous infectious particles
what are 2 characteristics of prion diseases
1) long incubation period (months to decades)
2) always fatal
what is the characteristic lesion of prion diseases
spongiform neuronal degeneration
are there vaccines and treatments for prion diseases
no
what is the normal form of prions and what is the infectious form
normal: PrPc
infectious: PrPSc
what is the normal role of prions
myelin maintenance
what changes in animals infected with prions
alpha helixes change to beta-sheets
how does solubility differ between normal and pathological prion
normal: soluble
pathological: insoluble
how does protease sensitivity differ between normal and pathological prions
normal: protease sensitive
pathological: protease insensitive
what are pathological prions resistant to (3)
boiling, formaldehyde and radiation
T/F there are immune and inflammatory responses against prions
F
what are the 3 main TSEs and what ones are on the OIE list
- scrapie (sheep)
- bovine spongiform encephalopathy
- chronic wasting disease (deer and elk)
what is the incubation period of scrapie
up to 8 years