Prions – morphing agents of disease
Useful Sites
Mad cow disease: The BSE epidemic in Great Britain (Access Excellence, USA)
An interview with Dr Frederick Murphy which provides a good overview of the BSE epidemic in Great Britain. Includes an explanation of prions, current research priorities and possible future treatments for prion-related encephalopathies.
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE): Australia's measures to protect human health
Describes precautionary measures already in place and summarises how the government plans to respond to the threat of BSE or vCJD in Australia.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE): Frequently asked questions
Contains questions and answers about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in animals and its links with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans.
BSE and imported beef products (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand)
Provides answers to questions about BSE.
The emerging European epidemic of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy: Lessons for Australia (Medical Journal of Australia, 2001)
According to Professor Colin Masters, Australia needs to ensure that precautions to minimise the risk of BSE are implemented and communicated to the public.
Cannibals (Catalyst, 4 September 2003, Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
An interview with Professor Michael Alpers about research suggesting that the practice of cannabalism was more widespread that previously thought.
Prions: Puzzling infectious proteins (National Institutes of Health, USA)
Shows four levels of protein structure to explain how prions cause disease. Also describes the human diseases linked to prions.
About human prion diseases (National Prion Disease Surveillance Center, USA)
Describes sporadic, familial, iatrogenic, vCJD and kuru forms of prion diseases.
World Health Organisation
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
EUROCJD Surveillance Data (European Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease Surveillance Network)
Provides statistics from the European Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease Surveillance Network regarding the occurrences of CJD.
Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease - Queensland Health Guidelines (Queensland Government)
Outlines information regarding CJD and guidleines for addressing an occurence of the disease.
Page updated December 2009.