Yes, cannibals are more likely to get prion disease as people who practice cannibalism, most specifically those eating human brain tissue infected with misfolded proteins are at a much higher risk of contracting the fatal prion disease called Kuru.
Cannibalism spreads prions disease through infectious proteins, high concentration and oral transmission.
Eating tainted human brain tissue passes the deadly particles directly into a new host, igniting a chain reaction of brain cell destruction.
The infectious prions build up and concentrate heavily inside nervous system tissue, especially in the brain.
The prions are abnormal, misfolded proteins, which force the normal proteins in the brain to misfold as well.
Real world evidence of cannibalism and prions disease includes the Fore People.
In Papua New Guinea, the Fore tribe practiced ritual mortuary cannibalism, where relatives consumed parts of deceased family members.
And eating the infected brain matter caused an epidemic of Kuru, a uniformly fatal neurological disorder that causes severe tremors, loss of coordination and eventual death.
And once the practice of the cannibalism was stopped in the late 1950s and 1960s, Kuru cases dropped steadily, although the prion disease has an incubation period that can last decades.
Another name for prion disease is transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE).
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) is a medical name for prion disease that describes how prion disease can spread and how it makes tiny holes in the brain.
Common types of prion disease include.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD): The most common type of prion disease in people.
Variant CJD (vCJD): Linked to eating meat from cows with "mad cow disease".
Kuru: A rare type of prion disease found in past years in Papua New Guinea.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE): Also called mad cow disease, which affects cattle.
Scrapie: A type of prion disease that affects sheep and goats.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD): A type of prion disease that affects deer and elk.
Prion disease is a rare, incurable, and fatal brain disorder that is caused by proteins that misfold and damage the nervous system.
Most cases of prion disease are sporadic and happen by chance with no known cause in about 85% to 90% of cases.
Genetic cases of prion disease are inherited through mutated gene passed down in families which is around 10% to 15% of cases.
Acquired cases of prion disease occurs due to rare exposure to contaminated tissue, food, or surgical gear in less than 1% of cases of prion disease.
Common human forms of prion disease include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), variant CJD, and fatal familial insomnia.
Symptoms of prion disease include rapidly worsening dementia and memory loss, loss of muscle coordination (ataxia), involuntary muscle jerks (myoclonus), vision changes or confusion and personality and behavioral shifts.
For diagnosing prion disease, doctors use Johns Hopkins Medicine guidelines, which include brain MRIs, spinal taps and electroencephalograms (EEGs) to check for rapid cognitive decline.
No cure for prion disease exists, and prion disease always results in death, usually within 1 year of the symptoms starting.
Care for the prion disease focuses on comfort and easing symptoms.