Main description:

Human Prion Diseases, Volume 153 is designed to update the reader on the latest advances and clinical aspects of prion diseases. The book is organized into five sections, including the pathophysiology of prions and a description of animal and human diseases. This is followed by detailed reports on recent advances in diagnosis strategies for the development of novel anti-prion molecules and possible designs of clinical trials in such a rare disease. An introductory chapter gives an extensive historical background of prion research, with a final chapter highlighting recent progress, and more importantly, unsolved problems.

Contents:

1. Historical view

Section I: Pathophysiology of prions 2. The cellular and pathological prion protein 3. Cell biology of prion infection 4. Experimental models of human prion diseases and prion strains 5. The role of the immune system in prion infection

Section II: Animal prion diseases (clinical, epidemiology, neuropathological, biochemical, biomarker, and genotypes) 6. Typical and atypical scrapie 7. Typical and atypical BSE 8. Chronic Wasting Disease

Section III: Human prion diseases (clinical, epidemiology, neuropathological, biochemical, biomarker, and genotypes) 9. Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease 10. Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy 11. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease 12. Iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease 13. Genetic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease 14. Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease 15. Sporadic and fatal Familial Insomnia

Section IV: Prion-like mechanisms in other neurodegenerative diseases 16. Prion-like mechanisms in Alzheimer 17. Prion-like mechanisms in Parkinson 18. Prion-like mechanisms in ALS

Section V: Diagnosis and treatment 19. Prion protein amplification techniques 20. Differential diagnosis with other rapid progressive dementias 21. Symptomatic treatment, care and support of CJD patients 22. Identifying therapeutic targets and treatment in model systems 23. Vaccination strategies 24. Clinical trials

Section VI: Public health issues 25. Animal diseases and the zoonotic potential 26. Safety of blood, blood derivatives and plasma-derived products 27. Safety in clinical practice 28. Concluding thoughts