what is spongiform encephalopathies
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also known as prion diseases, are a group of rare degenerative brain disorders characterized by tiny holes that give the brain a spongy appearance.esearch suggests that TSEs are caused by an abnormal version of a protein called a prion (prion is short for proteinaceous infectious particle). Prion proteins occur in both a normal form, which is a harmless protein found in the body's cells, and in an infectious form, which causes disease.