Eli5: Been hearing a lot about Prions recently, what is it that makes them so terrifying?

Question

I’ve not heard about them much until recently, where i keep seeing mention of them, what exactly are they?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Normal methods of disinfection don’t work on them. So for instance it is very hard to clean durable medical equipment that has been exposed to prions. So even through something has gone through normal sterilization, if it is contaminated with prions you could be exposed and develop a prion disease.