Prions are scary as hell. Can I become infected with a prion from drinking bone broth (chicken, beef or lamb) or are the risks about the same as eating a cheeseburger from McDonald’s?
In: Biology
Prions can be transmitted in a number of ways, including:
* Eating contaminated meat: Prion diseases can be transmitted by eating meat that is contaminated with prions, such as beef from cows infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as “mad cow disease”.
* Organ transplants: Prions can be transmitted through organ transplants.
* Contaminated equipment: Prions can be transmitted through exposure to contaminated equipment during surgery, such as neurosurgical instruments.
* Blood transfusions: Prions can be transmitted through blood transfusions, but this is rare.
* Cannibalism: Prions can be transmitted through cannibalism, as in kuru.
* Saliva, urine, and feces: Prions can be transmitted through saliva, urine, and feces.
* Placental tissues: Prions can be transmitted through placental tissues, which can contaminate the environment during lambing season.
Prion diseases are not contagious like the flu or a cold, but they can spread between organisms. Caregivers can take precautions to reduce the risk of spreading prions, such as washing hands and covering cuts or abrasions.
I’d preface this statement with a no but yes, just like getting a 210 degree coffee split in your lap, you’re chances are less than a plane crash.
Lets talk statistics
Being struck by lightning:
About 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the United States each year. But the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are **less than one in a million**, and almost 90% of all lightning strike victims
So that’s <1:1,000,000
Chances of being in a fatal car accident:
around 1 in 93. What Are the Odds of Dying in a Car Accident? According to recent data, the odds of dying in a car crash are around **1 in 93**. This makes car crashes one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Cited Apr 18, 2024
Here are the current data results on Prions:
Prion diseases are rare, affecting about one person in a million worldwide each year. In the United States, about 350 cases are diagnosed annually. Prion diseases are a group of conditions that affect the brain and nervous system. They can cause severe dementia or problems with body control that worsen quickly. Symptoms can develop suddenly and you can have prions for many years before noticing any symptoms.
So lets do this math.
you, as a human have a 1 in 1 million chance of being stuck by lightning, and a 1 in 93 chance of being in a fatal accident. You also have a 1 in a Million chance of being struck by a prion disease. So you’re just as likely to be struck by lighting as be struck by a prion.
So the preface of this is: you have the same-ish chance of being struck by lightning, as contracting a prion disease.
You are more likely to be stuck by lightning, AND hit by a car before prion transmission.
Edit: well it looks like correct info in ELI5 is looked down upon. I’m sorry i provided succinct info you all hated, i guess my bad?
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