Prion Zoonotic Diseases

Prion zoonotic diseases are rare but serious infections caused by prions, which are misfolded proteins that can trigger normal proteins in the brain to also misfold. These diseases can jump from animals to humans, often through contaminated food or direct contact. A well-known example is variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, linked to eating beef products from cattle affected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or "mad cow disease." Infected individuals can suffer severe neurological symptoms, and there is currently no cure, making prevention and monitoring essential in both animal and human health.