Prion diseases, blood and the immune system: concerns and reality

There is a great amount of uncertainty about the nature of the agent which causes spongiform encephalopathies. In recent years the occurrence of bovin e spongiform encephalopathy and of new variant-Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, h as raised concerns that prions may, under certain circumstances, contaminat e the blood supply. This review article illustrates the problems with which research in this field is fraught, and presents some of the arguments whic h are controversially discussed in the field. (C) 2000 Ferrata Storti Found ation.