What are prions classified as?

Prions are classified as infectious proteins. This classification is based on the unique characteristics of prions, which are misfolded forms of normal proteins that can induce other normal proteins in the brain to also misfold. Unlike bacteria, viruses, and fungi, prions do not have a nucleic acid component (DNA or RNA) and are not living organisms.

Their infectious nature comes from their ability to propagate by converting normal proteins into the disease-causing form, leading to various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and mad cow disease. This distinguishes them from other pathogens that are classified as either cellular organisms (like bacteria and fungi) or acellular infectious agents (like viruses). Understanding prions and their mode of action is critical in healthcare, particularly when considering infection control and disease prevention measures, since standard sterilization techniques may not be effective against prion contamination.