[Prion infections: most important medical and veterinary aspects]

The paper reviews the most important and topical information on prionic diseases in the medical and veterinary context. It gives data on bovine sponge-like encephalopathy and other new prionic infections in animals, as well as on a new type of the Greutzfeldt-jakob disease. The common pathology, pathogenesis, and transmission of the infections of this group, a prionic concept of their etiology, constituents of present-day epidemiological survey are generalized. Some most tasks of medical and veterinary importance, which are most essential to Russian science, are worded in the conclusion.