Question 1

how do prions enter the body?

Accepted Answer

By mouth: These abnormal proteins which can lead to brain degeneration are in food containing brain tissue from affected animals.  Herds are checked for this so this incidence is very rare.  Cooking does not destroy them.   There are probably 1-3 cases of this in the us per year.

Question 2

what is a prion and what does it do to your body?

Accepted Answer

Prion: Prions are proteins that have changed  physical conformation, so that the normal function of the protein inside the cells cannot be accomplished.  The prions' abnormal folding also causes other normal proteins to misfold and make more prions, spreading the process.  The prions affect many cells in the body, but they particularly harm nerve cells in the brain, causing progressive rapid degeneration.

Question 3

are prions implicated in any human illness?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Traditionally classified human prion diseases include creuztfeld-jakob diseases (cjd), gerstmann-straussler-scheinker (gss) disease, fatal familial insomnia and kuru. Certain animal prion disease can be transmitted to humans including bovine spongifrm encephalopathy (mad cow disease), chronic wasting disease of mule deer and elk, and scrapie in sheep and goats.

Question 4

how can prion can cause cns damage?  is the prion encoded into our dna permanently?

Accepted Answer

Unknown and yes: We all have the prion protein in our dna. Its normal function is unknown. Problems occur when something causes this protein to misfold. Misfolded  prion protein may induce normally folded prion proteins to also misfold. It is unknown how many misfolded prion proteins are needed to cause disease. Recent research suggests misfolded prions may shut down protein synthesis. Nature 2012, 1476-4687.

Question 5

medical student here, dropped my id in an anatomy dissection room and it came into contact with objects and other people without being disinfected. i'm concerned it may transmit prion diseases if people eat, drink after touching this. this a risk?

Accepted Answer

: I believe you are overthinking this issue. How many cases of prion disease cadavers were in open access at the time? Your professors would likely know. If none, discuss your concerns with your professors and let the issue go.

Question 6

i dropped my id in an anatomy dissection room and without it being disinfected it came into contact with objects and people, i am very concerned people may eat or drink after exposure to this without washing, that it may lead to prion infection. help?

Accepted Answer

: It would be incredulous if preserved cadavers in a dissection room would be the source of any infections, especially prions.  When my colleagues took anatomy, it was not unusual to dissect and eat lunch.  No one became ill period!

Question 7

medical student here, dropped medical id in anatomy dissection room, it came into contact with objects and people without being disinfected. concerned if prion disease transmission is possible if people eat, drink after touching this. this a risk?

Accepted Answer

: I believe you are overthinking this issue. How many cases of prion disease cadavers were in open access at the time? Your professors would likely know. If none, discuss your concerns with your professors and let the issue go.

Question 8

med student, dropped my id in anatomy dissection room and it came into contact with objects when id was not disinfected. very concerned about prion disease transmission to people eating, not washing their hands after exposure to this. is it a risk??

Accepted Answer

: There are cases of corneal transplants and organ transplants emanating from sufferers of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease that have become infected.  But cadaver organs would never be used in this way.  Stop fretting about these unproven problems.  Getting cut by a hypodermic syringe provides a much more profound risk.

Question 9

dropped my id in anatomy dissection room, it wasn't disinfected and came into contact with objects, people who ate and drank without washing their hands after exposure to this. very very concerned about prion disease transmission. is it a risk? help?

Accepted Answer

: Repeat question, see previous replies and stop asking. The answer won't change.

Question 10

medical student, dropped my id in anatomy dissection room and it came into contact with objects, people who ate and drank without washing their hands after exposure-id not disinfected very concerned about prion disease transmission. is it a risk??

Accepted Answer

: Duplicate question, see previous replies. The risk of prion exposure or infection in this situation is unknown, but probably very low. Exposure to prions probably rarely leads to infection. This is nothing to worry about, but if you remain concerned discuss with infection control at your institution; it should be easy to find them either online or by phoning the inpatient paging number. Good luck.

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Doctor answers about:

Prion enter human body

A member asked:

How do prions enter the body?

A member asked:

What is a prion and what does it do to your body?

A member asked:

Are prions implicated in any human illness?

A member asked:

How can prion can cause cns damage? is the prion encoded into our dna permanently?

A member asked:

Medical student here, dropped my id in an anatomy dissection room and it came into contact with objects and other people without being disinfected. i'm concerned it may transmit prion diseases if people eat, drink after touching this. this a risk?

A member asked:

I dropped my id in an anatomy dissection room and without it being disinfected it came into contact with objects and people, i am very concerned people may eat or drink after exposure to this without washing, that it may lead to prion infection. help?

A member asked:

Medical student here, dropped medical id in anatomy dissection room, it came into contact with objects and people without being disinfected. concerned if prion disease transmission is possible if people eat, drink after touching this. this a risk?

A member asked:

Med student, dropped my id in anatomy dissection room and it came into contact with objects when id was not disinfected. very concerned about prion disease transmission to people eating, not washing their hands after exposure to this. is it a risk??

A member asked:

Dropped my id in anatomy dissection room, it wasn't disinfected and came into contact with objects, people who ate and drank without washing their hands after exposure to this. very very concerned about prion disease transmission. is it a risk? help?

A member asked:

Medical student, dropped my id in anatomy dissection room and it came into contact with objects, people who ate and drank without washing their hands after exposure-id not disinfected very concerned about prion disease transmission. is it a risk??

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