Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE): Understanding Prion Diseases and Their Microbiological Significanc
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are a rare but highly fatal group of neurodegenerative diseases that affect both humans and animals. Unlike conventional infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, TSEs are caused by prions —abnormally folded proteins that can induce misfolding of normal cellular proteins in the brain, leading to severe brain damage and characteristic sponge-like changes (spongiform degeneration). What are Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs)? TSEs are progressive, fatal, and transmissible neurodegenerative disorders. They are unique because they do not contain any nucleic acid (DNA or RNA). Instead, the infectious agent is a misfolded form of a normal host protein called Prion Protein (PrP) . Common Types of TSEs In Humans: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), Variant CJD (vCJD), Gerstmann-StrΓ€ussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS), Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI), and Kuru. In Animals: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ...