Re: Let's try this again...

[Betty Cunningham <bettyc@flyinggoat.com>]

Rob Meyerson wrote:
 
> Also, I know of no disease that can be passed on from prey to predator that
> occurs by the predator consuming the disease victim.  The only way this could
> occur is if we're talking about some kind of nematode; but again, even 
> nematodes
> are species specific, as are most internal parasites (plus, these are rarely
> fatal).

Check the newspapers, Rob.
  "Mad Cow Desease" is a type of prion (protein infectious agent-NOT a
virus or bacteria or germ)is found in humans that eat cows infected
with the desease.  Prions were first identified with sheep having a
certain wierd sudden death.  It has a wierd-and-silly English nickname
I'd never heard of, something like spoobies or something. [that would
be scrapie -- MR]
   It has been speculated that this same prion or related prions are
responsible for (South Pacific Cannabilistic race-perhaps mauri?) what
was referred to as the "laughing death", and since the same group no
longer eat human brain tissues, the desease has all but disapeared.

OK?  cross-species death-inducing infecting material, but I don't know
if it really counts as a desease.

-Betty