Mad cow disease-causing prions can survive conventional sewage treatment, according to a new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists.

Prions — rogue misfolded proteins that cause mad cow disease, chronic wasting disease, and its human equivalent, variant Creutzfeldt- Jakob disease — are not degraded by standard wastewater decontamination and can end up in fertilizers, potentially contaminating crops.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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