What is the smallest pathogen?

1 Answer
Jan 2, 2018

Smallest pathogen: prion
plus fact #-># smallest living organism: nanobe

Explanation:

Priones

  • they are made of proteins
  • size: 2-3 nm, 1 nanometre= 0.000000001 m
  • pathogens for humans and animals
  • human prion diseases: Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, fatal familial insomnia, kuru known as "laughing sickness"....
    The last one is spread via cannibalism.
  • All prion diseases in humans affect the brain.
  • animal prion diseases: mad cow disease, scrapie...
  • mortality: 100%

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/529f4a25e4b0f564cbbed6d7/t/55e8ef06e4b034fe931f652e/1441328904606/

Plus fact:
Nanobe

  • mostly found in sediments
  • "smallest living organism" title is not completely sure, fore some scientists this is just a hypothesis
  • about 20 nm long

www.microscopy-uk.org.uk