Medical What are the future risks and treatments for prion diseases like vCJD?

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The discussion focuses on the potential for prion diseases, particularly variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), to become an epidemic in the future. Concerns are raised about the possibility of significant loss of life, but it is noted that prion diseases have a very low incidence and are not highly transmissible, making an epidemic unlikely. Research indicates a steady decline in human prion diseases, as monitored by the International Society for Infectious Diseases. The mechanism of prion diseases involves the replication of misfolded proteins that convert healthy proteins into their defective forms, creating a chain reaction. There is curiosity about potential treatments, specifically the mention of ozone therapy, but further elaboration on this treatment is sought. Overall, the consensus leans towards a low risk of widespread outbreaks due to the rarity of these diseases.
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What are the odds of prion diseases, such as vCJD (which can be contracted by eating contaminated beef and can have an incubation period of decades), becoming an epidemic in the future? Could we be looking at hundreds, thousands, or even millions of lives lost?

What all research is being done in the area of prion diseases? Are we any closer to a treatment or therapy? I've heard of the possibility of using ozone.
 
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hammertime said:
becoming an epidemic in the future? Could we be looking at hundreds, thousands, or even millions of lives lost?
Not very transmissible and very low incidence - so unlikely.
 
The International Society for Infectious Diseases has monitored a steady decline in human prion diseases of all kinds.

Archive Number 20100107.0076
Published Date 07-JAN-2010
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Prion disease update 2010

http://www.promedmail.org
 
prion disease is very interesting in that it is the "replication" of protein. In other words, the 3-D geometry of the defective protein is the disease causing agent, and this defective protein will encounter a normal healthy version of the protein, interact with the normal healthy version of the protein, and then convert it to the abnormal defective version of the protein, and the process just repeats itself like a chain reaction.

these diseases are quite rare.
 
Can anyone elaborate on what the topic starter said about the "ozone" as treatment?
 

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