Prion disease

Prion disease: A disease due to a prion, a proteinaceous infectious particle that lacks nucleic acids. Prions are composed largely, if not entirely, of an altered formal (an abnormal isoform) of a normal cellular protein.

The known prion diseases of humans and other mammals are:

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) -- also called mad cow disease; the natural hosts are cattle; the prion involved is the BSE prion. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) -- the natural hosts are humans; the prion involved is the CJD prion. Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) -- the natural hosts are humans; the prion involved is the GSS prion. Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) -- the natural hosts are humans; the prion involved is the FFI prion. Kuru -- the natural hosts are humans; the prion involved is the kuru prion. Scrapie -- the natural hosts of this disease are sheep and goats; the prion involved is the scrapie prion. Transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) -- the natural hosts of this disease are mink; the prion involved is the TME prion. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) -- the natural hosts of this disease are mule deer, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, and elk; the prion involved is the CWD prion. Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE) -- the natural hosts are cats; the prion involved is the FSE prion. Exotic ungulate encephalopathy (EUE) -- the natural hosts are the nyala and greater kudu; the prion involved is the EUE prion.