Prion Diseases Flashcards
are prions highly resistant to chemicals?
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
Highly resistant to chemicals, radiation, and heat (can withstand autoclaving)
Consist entirely of protein with ____
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
no nucleic acid
Do/do not _____ present virus morphology in electron microscopy of infected brain tissue
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
do not present virus morphology
can prions be integrated into nucleic acid
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
Not integrated into nucleic acid of infected host cells
do prions elicit inflammatory reactions?
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
Do not elicit inflammatory reaction or cytopathic effects in host
do prions elicit antibody formation in host?
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
Do not elicit antibody formation in the host
what are prions responsible for?
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
Responsible for vacuoles and abnormal fibers forming in brain of host
tramitted how?
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIONS
Transmitted only by close, direct contact with infected tissues and secretions
WHAT IS A PRION?
WHAT IS A PRION?
Proteinaceous infectious particles
An abnormal form of a normally harmless protein that may induce
WHAT IS A PRION?
disease
Causes what?
WHAT IS A PRION?
slow neurodegenerative diseases
what is kuru?
WHO IS AT RISK?
Members (especially women and children) of the Fore tribe in New Guinea were at risk for kuru because of ritual cannibalism.
CJD usually affects persons older than
WHO IS AT RISK?
50 years
how are Transplant and brain surgery patients at risk?
WHO IS AT RISK?
There are well-established cases of iatrogenic transmission, notably by corneal transplantation, deep implantation of electrodes in the brain, and administration of contaminated preparations of naturally derived human growth hormone.
symptoms of prion disease
CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF PRION DISEASE
- Severe headaches
- Depression, anxiety, apathy
- Insomnia
- Ataxia, slurred speech
- Tremors in hands
- Memory loss & moments of confusion; rapidly progressing dementia
- Hallucinations
- Coma-like state
- Myoclonus (muscle twitching) on sudden stimulation
What key features of the postmortem findings are characteristic of the diseases caused by prions?
CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF PRION DISEASE
Lack of inflammation and the vacuolation of the brain are strong indicators of prion diseases
important