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Published online 3 November 2005 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news051031-7

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Prions suspected in milk

Sheep mammaries shown to contain agents of fatal brain disease.

The inflamed mammary glands of sheep have been found to contain protein particles that cause scrapie, a sickness similar to mad cow disease. This suggests that the suspect proteins, called prions, may also be present in the milk of infected animals.

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