The Challenge of Prion Decontamination

Prions are a class of proposed proteinaceous infectious agents that cause similar fatal brain diseases. These diseases are known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), and include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome (GSS) in humans, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle (also variant CJD [vCJD] in humans), and scrapie in sheep. latrogenic transmission of these diseases via contaminated medical devices is considered rare, but it has been documented. In an experimental case, transmission of the disease was observed despite cleaning and decontamination of the medical device with formaldehyde [1]. Clinically, 2 cases of TSEs have been confirmed in which transmission of the disease was due to the use of implanted depth electrodes that had been previously used on a patient with CJD and were inadequately decontaminated by cleaning with benzene and disinfecting with 70% alcohol and formaldehyde [2]. Other cases have been linked to the use of neurosurgical instruments [3]. These reports highlight the need for safe and effective prion decontamination methods. Recommended prion decontamination