"Everyone assumes BSE prions from cows are causing CJD in humans, but an alternative explanation is that organized crime was disposing human bodies in hamburger factories, and CJD is just caused by human prions."
Yes, that is indeed an alternative explanation, but has it actually been proposed seriously and is there any reason to believe that has ever happened ? I am genuinely curious...
shrug I don't recall seeing it in print anywhere. I've mentioned it to colleagues who study prions, and they're grossed out by the idea, but didn't think it was impossible.
I suppose you could try testing samples of hamburger for human DNA, but it would be hard to rule out innocent low levels of contamination from household dust (mostly human skin cells). Considering prions are infectious at such very low concentrations I'm not sure if any assay could rule it out.
Yes, that is indeed an alternative explanation, but has it actually been proposed seriously and is there any reason to believe that has ever happened ? I am genuinely curious...