Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy primary prevention
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rinky Agnes Botleroo, M.B.B.S.
Overview
Acquiring prion diseases from food or contaminated medical equipment or donor tissues is quite rare now due to taking preventive measures.These measures include sterilizing the medical equipment,not allowing people with prion disease to donate blood or other tissues including cornea,prohibiting the use some parts of cow such as brain,spinal cord,applying tight regulations on importing cattles from countries where Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy occurs.
Primary prevention
- Transmission of acquired prion diseases can be prevented by taking several measures.
- Now-a-days acquiring a prion disease from food or from a medical setting is now extremely rare as people use these preventive measures.
- Some of the preventive steps taken include:[1]
- Maintaining tight regulations on importing cattle from countries where Bovine spongiform encephalopathy(BSE) is more prevalent.
- Restricting the parts of the cow such as the brain and spinal cord from using in human or animal food.
- People with a history of or risk for exposure to prion disease should not donate blood or other tissues like cornea.
- Medical instrument that has come into contact with the nervous tissue of someone with suspected prion disease should be thoroughly sterilized.
- Disposable medical instruments should be destroyed.
- There’s currently no way to prevent inherited or sporadic forms of prion disease.
- If someone in the family has had an inherited prion disease, family members may consider consulting with a genetic counselor to discuss their risk of developing the disease.[1]