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NFT: Deadly ‘zombie’ deer disease could possibly spread to humans

Canton : 2/14/2019 3:43 am
Quote:
A deadly disease that has affected the deer population in an estimated 24 states and two Canadian provinces could eventually spread to and infect humans, experts warn.

Symptoms of the disease include drooling, stumbling, lack of coordination, lack of fear of people, aggression, and listlessness — which explains the “zombie” deer disease nickname. The symptoms are a result of a “malformed prion that kills neurons in the infected animal’s brain,” the University of Minnesota explains

“It is probable that human cases of CWD associated with the consumption of contaminated meat will be documented in the years ahead. It is possible that number of human cases will be substantial and will not be isolated events,” he said, in part, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

“If Stephen King could write an infectious disease novel, he would write about prions like this,” he added.



We me need Rick & Daryl after all - ( New Window )
And so it starts  
yankeeslover : 2/14/2019 6:46 am : link
Good thing I watch the walking dead and I'm prepared
Time to finish the bunker  
ZogZerg : 2/14/2019 6:57 am : link
...
I was going to say  
mattlawson : 2/14/2019 7:16 am : link
Sounds like your typical Jets fan
Sounds like FUD  
jcn56 : 2/14/2019 7:38 am : link
It's spread through contaminated water or by eating contaminated food. So unless you're eating venison or sharing the local spring with some deer you should be OK.
mattlawson got it  
Rocky369 : 2/14/2019 10:13 am : link
they're just drunk.
So basically  
Jay on the Island : 2/14/2019 10:48 am : link
it would be like walking around Philadelphia.

Time to buy a bat and some barbed wire.
"Lack of fear of people"  
Anakim : 2/14/2019 10:51 am : link
.
...  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 2/14/2019 10:54 am : link
"...drooling, stumbling, lack of coordination, lack of fear of people, aggression, and listlessness..."

So a drunk bro eh?
RE: So basically  
Jim in Fairfax : 2/14/2019 10:55 am : link
In comment 14296501 Jay on the Island said:
Quote:
it would be like walking around Philadelphia.

Time to buy a bat and some barbed wire.

Sounds a lot like  
St. Jimmy : 2/14/2019 10:55 am : link
rabies.
Looks like Mad Cow  
Metnut : 2/14/2019 10:56 am : link
disease but in deer. Prion related illnesses are incredibly scary.
RE: Looks like Mad Cow  
BlueLou'sBack : 2/14/2019 11:57 am : link
In comment 14296512 Metnut said:
Quote:
disease but in deer. Prion related illnesses are incredibly scary.


What exactly is a prion? Similar to a virus, but not meeting the definition of virus?

Mad cow results from viral infection IIRC, one that involves reverse transcriptase like HIV viruses.
RE: RE: Looks like Mad Cow  
Bill L : 2/14/2019 12:00 pm : link
In comment 14296599 BlueLou'sBack said:
Quote:
In comment 14296512 Metnut said:


Quote:


disease but in deer. Prion related illnesses are incredibly scary.



What exactly is a prion? Similar to a virus, but not meeting the definition of virus?

Mad cow results from viral infection IIRC, one that involves reverse transcriptase like HIV viruses.

Ma cow comes from a prion.

Prions are proteins. Viruses are more complex but are essentially encapsulated nucleic acids.
RE: RE: Looks like Mad Cow  
81_Great_Dane : 2/14/2019 1:32 pm : link
In comment 14296599 BlueLou'sBack said:
Quote:
In comment 14296512 Metnut said:


Quote:


disease but in deer. Prion related illnesses are incredibly scary.



What exactly is a prion? Similar to a virus, but not meeting the definition of virus?

Mad cow results from viral infection IIRC, one that involves reverse transcriptase like HIV viruses.
Bacteria are alive. Prions are not alive. They're proteins that replicate but don't fit any definition of "life." Therefore you can't kill them. No antibiotic or antiviral drug will do a thing. Think of them like a poison that makes more of itself over time.
Deer overabundance is decimating native plant  
idiotsavant : 2/14/2019 1:46 pm : link
Populations as well.

It seems like whole ecosystems have changed. Crap like vines that they don't eat are covering the woodlands whereas cute little native plants are nowhere to be seen.



RE: RE: RE: Looks like Mad Cow  
NYRiese : 2/14/2019 3:45 pm : link
"Prions aren't alive but replicate"....so does some othrer organism or condition help them multiply...
are the new prions created externally from the original prion?...
if the original prion is not there then there will be no newly created/replicated prions.
Very, very interesting and confusing.
RE: RE: RE: RE: Looks like Mad Cow  
Bill L : 2/14/2019 3:54 pm : link
In comment 14296843 NYRiese said:
Quote:
"Prions aren't alive but replicate"....so does some othrer organism or condition help them multiply...
are the new prions created externally from the original prion?...
if the original prion is not there then there will be no newly created/replicated prions.
Very, very interesting and confusing.


It's not my area, so someone else with more expertise can chime in, but IIRC the infectious prion protein converts similar proteins that are made by the cells they are infecting into the infectious prion. For example, there is protein A which, when folded (having a specific 3D structure) properly does it's job. When it's folded incorrectly (a specific incorrect structure) it's toxic (protein A1). When protein A1 infects a normal cell, say a brain cell in a person who eats the brain of the A1 person, then besides being toxic, the prion A1 converts the normal protein A (which is being made in copious amount by the brain cell) into protein A1, which can then be transferred when someone new eats this person's brain.
One wonders what is the vector spreading this disease?  
BlueLou'sBack : 2/14/2019 8:56 pm : link
Insects like ticks or mosquitoes transporting blood from one animal to another? I don't think herbivorous deer eat the flesh or brains of their dead comrads.

I think prions have been identified in plants, more specifically many grapevines in Israel, and were originally suspected to be viruses. In vines, they are vectored by sap sucking insects, often called leaf-hoppers. I'll see what I can dig up on prions.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Looks like Mad Cow  
NYRiese : 2/14/2019 10:58 pm : link
Thanks for the info...seems plausible.
So it's a conversion by the twisting and folfing of the normal protein molecule held together by that very weakforce whose name I forget.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Looks like Mad Cow  
BlueLou'sBack : 2/14/2019 11:20 pm : link
In comment 14297114 NYRiese said:
Quote:
Thanks for the info...seems plausible.
So it's a conversion by the twisting and folfing of the normal protein molecule held together by that very weakforce whose name I forget.


Weak polar, hydrophilic interactions IIRC, lead to protein folding or conformation. Some protein "molecules" are actually aggregates of a few individual proteins that bond to each other, IIRC. Been a long time since biochem class.
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