what diseases are known to be the result of prion infection
Prions and Prion disease. Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE's) are a group of progressive neurodegenerative conditions. These illnesses exist in both animals and humans. Scrapie, a disease affecting sheep and goats, was the first prion disease to be identified in the 1730s.In more recent years other prion diseases have been seen in animals, the most common of which is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).rion disease is not contagious; there is no evidence to suggest it can be spread from person to person by close contact. Once a person has developed prion disease, central nervous system tissues (brain, spinal cord and eye tissue) are thought to be extremely infectious.