Judged: two independent readers; copy check clear.
spongiform encephalopathy
spongiform encephalopathy Spongiform encephalopathy is a transmissible brain disease caused by a protein that triggers abnormal folding of normal proteins.
Spongiform encephalopathy is a transmissible brain disease caused by a protein that triggers abnormal folding of normal proteins. It produces sponge-like changes in the brain with loss of nerve cells and no inflammatory response, typically develops after a long incubation period, then progresses quickly and is fatal.