TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies)

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of rare, progressive brain disorders caused by abnormal forms of a protein called prions. These infectious proteins induce normal proteins in the brain to misfold, leading to brain tissue damage that creates a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. TSEs affect both humans and animals, causing symptoms like memory loss, behavioral changes, movement problems, and eventually death. They are rarely transmitted through contaminated food, medical procedures, or other means. Examples include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and mad cow disease in cattle.