Prions are infectious agents caused by misfolded proteins that cause a range of neurological diseases such as mad cow disease, scrapie, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. The common feature of these diseases is that they are highly contagious and lethal. However, although chickens may contract certain diseases after consuming contaminated eggs, they do not develop prion diseases. This is because the route of transmission of prions is related to the characteristics of the digestive system of chickens.
First of all,Prions are mainly transmitted through the food chain, particularly through ingestion of contaminated animal tissues. For example, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) is spread by eating feed contaminated with prions. However, prions are not present in eggs because prions are mainly found in the nervous tissue of animals, not eggs.
Secondly, the digestive system of chickens is very different from that of mammals. Chickens have a relatively short digestive system, which makes the nutrients in eggs easier to absorb, but it also means that pathogens such as viruses and bacteria survive less in chickens. In addition, the chicken's stomach acid has a strong bactericidal effect and is able to kill most of the pathogens that enter the stomach, further reducing the risk of prion infection.
Finally, even if the eggs contain prions, chickens will not develop prion diseases after eating them. This is because prion replication and propagation require specific host conditions. Current research shows:Only certain mammals, such as cattle, sheep, and humans, are susceptible to prions, with the exception of birds, including chickens. This means that even if chickens ingest prions, their bodies are not able to support the replication and transmission of prions.
To sum up, there are three main reasons why chickens will not get prions when they eat eggs: first, eggs do not contain prions; Second, the digestive system of chickens can effectively resist the invasion of pathogens; The third is that chickens are not susceptible to prions. As a result, consumers can eat eggs that have passed quarantine without worrying about the risk of prion infection.