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PLoS Pathogens Issue Image | Vol. 4(12) December 2008

Abnormal prion protein immunolabelling in the lacteal duct of a ewe's mammary gland.

Prions are transmissible, nonconventional agents that cause fatal neurodegenerative disorders in several mammalian species. Intraspecies, inter-individual transmission is mainly responsible for prion diseases spreading in animals. The capacity of prions to transmit between species remains largely unknown and the control of the human and animal dietary exposure to these agents are considered to be important for preventing such transmission. In this context, prion shedding in milk raises new concerns (see Lacroux et al., doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000238).

Image Credit: Caroline Lacroux and Olivier Andréoletti, UMR INRA ENVT

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Abnormal prion protein immunolabelling in the lacteal duct of a ewe's mammary gland.

Prions are transmissible, nonconventional agents that cause fatal neurodegenerative disorders in several mammalian species. Intraspecies, inter-individual transmission is mainly responsible for prion diseases spreading in animals. The capacity of prions to transmit between species remains largely unknown and the control of the human and animal dietary exposure to these agents are considered to be important for preventing such transmission. In this context, prion shedding in milk raises new concerns (see Lacroux et al., doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000238).

Image Credit: Caroline Lacroux and Olivier Andréoletti, UMR INRA ENVT

https://doi.org/10.1371/image.ppat.v04.i12.g001