[eganp]

This study is looking at the appendix, not any brain tissue. Without considering symptoms, it's possible that altered PrP expression and/or folding in the appendix does not cause vCJD or result from exposure to PrP(Sc).

Also, these antibodies are not very selective for a given confirmation. Idk how this made it into the BMJ because standard in the PrP field is a protease resistance assay given the issues with Ab specificity.

[s1artibartfast]

This article is from the UK National Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control and is cited by by the NHS and widely in the literature.

I am not an expert in the field, but it seems relevant to consider latent or asymptomatic PrP expression when assessing how often it crosses the species barrier.