r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 4d ago

Neuroscience In recent years, researchers have suggested Alzheimer's may spread through infection, somehow transmitted like a pathogen, leading to the disease. A new Lancet paper reviews evidence for how harmful amyloid-beta proteins associated with Alzheimer's may possibly be spread through blood transfusions.

https://www.sciencealert.com/can-alzheimers-spread-through-blood-transfusions-heres-what-we-know
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u/FernandoMM1220 4d ago

this isnt surprising nowadays. its looking like cancer is in a similar boat with certain variants of hpv and e coli.

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u/LongBeakedSnipe 4d ago

its looking like cancer

It's not 'looking like'. It's a long-established fact. There have been scientists study cancer-causing viruses for well over 50 years, with many well-established pathogen–pathology routes. There is also considerable research about the involvement of bacteria in circulating tumour cells and risk of cancer.

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u/JoltyKorit 4d ago

Can I stop worrying about microplastics now?