Question

Read the following statements.
A. Prions are inactivated by steam autoclaving at $\geq 121^{\circ}$C after treatment with 1M NaOH.
B. Prions contain genetic materials DNA or RNA.
C. Prions are extremely resistant to conventional disinfection and sterilization methods.
D. Prion infection do not elicit any detectable specific humoral or cellular immune response.

• A. A, C and D only
• B. A, B and D only
• C. B, C and D only
• D. A, B and C only

Hint:

Prions = protein-only infectious agents, no DNA/RNA, resistant to sterilization, and cause no immune response.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding prions.
Prions are infectious proteins without nucleic acids (DNA or RNA).
They are misfolded proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Step 2: Analysis of given statements.
- (A) Correct: Prions are inactivated by strong treatments such as NaOH followed by autoclaving.
- (B) Incorrect: Prions do not contain DNA or RNA, they are purely proteinaceous.
- (C) Correct: They are highly resistant to conventional sterilization methods, making them unique.
- (D) Correct: They do not elicit any specific immune response, making diagnosis difficult.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Hence, the correct statements are A, C, and D only.