Comments on: Prions enter stealth mode in the spleen, causing silent infections http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/01/30/prions-enter-stealth-mode-in-the-spleen-causing-silent-infections/ Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:00:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Karlan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/01/30/prions-enter-stealth-mode-in-the-spleen-causing-silent-infections/#comment-14227 Karlan Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:13:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=6268#comment-14227 CJD is likely killing my mom right now. We didn't know what was going on until we took her to the ER after individual doctors couldn't figure it out. Anyone in doubt should go to the ER to be evaluated. CJD is likely killing my mom right now. We didn’t know what was going on until we took her to the ER after individual doctors couldn’t figure it out. Anyone in doubt should go to the ER to be evaluated.

]]> By: Núria http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/01/30/prions-enter-stealth-mode-in-the-spleen-causing-silent-infections/#comment-14226 Núria Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:15:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=6268#comment-14226 Test for prions is relatively easy post-mortem (PMCA reactions, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Misfolding_Cyclic_Amplification) but almost impossible pre-mortem. And the problem is that there is no reliable protocol either to diagnose during the asymptomatic phase. There is no universal test (and robust) for prions diagnosis applied to date (before dying, that is) since diagnostic tools through blood and other tissues different from brain are not reliable. It is important to mention, tho, that at a research level and as trials a lot of stuff is going on. Test for prions is relatively easy post-mortem (PMCA reactions, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Misfolding_Cyclic_Amplification) but almost impossible pre-mortem. And the problem is that there is no reliable protocol either to diagnose during the asymptomatic phase.

There is no universal test (and robust) for prions diagnosis applied to date (before dying, that is) since diagnostic tools through blood and other tissues different from brain are not reliable. It is important to mention, tho, that at a research level and as trials a lot of stuff is going on.

]]> By: Andy I http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/01/30/prions-enter-stealth-mode-in-the-spleen-causing-silent-infections/#comment-14225 Andy I Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:29:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=6268#comment-14225 How easy is it to test for prions? I don't think blood centers do it yet. Any progress on a simple test? How easy is it to test for prions? I don’t think blood centers do it yet. Any progress on a simple test?

]]> By: Lloyd Dorsey http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/01/30/prions-enter-stealth-mode-in-the-spleen-causing-silent-infections/#comment-14224 Lloyd Dorsey Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:12:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=6268#comment-14224 Given the above information about human appendices harboring infectious prions originating in other species, it would seem a similar sampling of human appendices from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) endemic areas of the U.S. or Canada would be in order. Unless it's already been done. Given the above information about human appendices harboring infectious prions originating in other species, it would seem a similar sampling of human appendices from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) endemic areas of the U.S. or Canada would be in order. Unless it’s already been done.

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