3 ms·

We weren't cleanly segregating brain/spine tissue during meat processing in Canada until fairly recently. Given that CJD is only diagnosed by autopsy, I assume

by michael1999 6y ago

We weren't cleanly segregating brain/spine tissue during meat processing in Canada until fairly recently. Given that CJD is only diagnosed by autopsy, I assume some fraction of dementia/Alzheimer's cases are actually prion diseases. And since we have no treatment, assigning liability is impossible, and it would destroy the beef industry, there's not much enthusiasm for learning more. The premier of Alberta was very clear: shoot, shovel, and shut up.

robbiep 6y ago
Whilst the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s could be considered a type of protein disorder with similarities to prion diseases in that a protein is aggregating in clusters that the body is unable to clear and break down (difference being, it isn’t infectious in origin and a amyloid beta protein isn’t being changed by a misfolded protein of its own type) I don’t think there is any evidence to support your assumption that some fraction of dementia or Alzheimer’s presumptive disgnostic patients (Alzheimer’s also being largely a diagnosis enabled by autopsy, although there are scans that can show the amyloid plaques) because the diseases have quite different symptoms and courses. Whilst that can’t fully rule out unknown prion diseases out there, generally we would expect such a condition to manifest in a much broader section of the population than just ‘the elderly’ and when young people develop significant neurological symptoms there’s a huge amount of diagnostic effort that is put in to determining what is going on, because, you know, it might be a prion disease and generally it shouldn’t happen unless there is a genetic determinant or another cause, such as smoking adulterated drugs which was found to cause Parkinson’s in the 80’s [0], or in fact vCJD [0] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000360.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000360.htm
- michael1999 6y ago
  You're right that young people are investigated, and we don't see broad infection. I was thinking of causes for geriatric CJD, rather than vCJD. I'm skeptical of claims that geriatric declines are fully investigated. But the UK spike from contaminated food was very clear, and we don't see anything similar. Unless there's some low-level exposure the body can resist and a weakening blood-brain barrier/stroke/etc allows infection. But that's just speculation. Cheers.

robbiep 6y ago

Whilst the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s could be considered a type of protein disorder with similarities to prion diseases in that a protein is aggregating in clusters that the body is unable to clear and break down (difference being, it isn’t infectious in origin and a amyloid beta protein isn’t being changed by a misfolded protein of its own type) I don’t think there is any evidence to support your assumption that some fraction of dementia or Alzheimer’s presumptive disgnostic patients (Alzheimer’s also being largely a diagnosis enabled by autopsy, although there are scans that can show the amyloid plaques) because the diseases have quite different symptoms and courses. Whilst that can’t fully rule out unknown prion diseases out there, generally we would expect such a condition to manifest in a much broader section of the population than just ‘the elderly’ and when young people develop significant neurological symptoms there’s a huge amount of diagnostic effort that is put in to determining what is going on, because, you know, it might be a prion disease and generally it shouldn’t happen unless there is a genetic determinant or another cause, such as smoking adulterated drugs which was found to cause Parkinson’s in the 80’s [0], or in fact vCJD [0] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000360.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000360.htm

michael1999 6y ago
You're right that young people are investigated, and we don't see broad infection. I was thinking of causes for geriatric CJD, rather than vCJD. I'm skeptical of claims that geriatric declines are fully investigated. But the UK spike from contaminated food was very clear, and we don't see anything similar. Unless there's some low-level exposure the body can resist and a weakening blood-brain barrier/stroke/etc allows infection. But that's just speculation. Cheers.