Prion neuroinfections represent an emergent problem namely after the epidemic brake out of the bovine spongiform encephalopathies, which culminated in 1993. Isolated cases can still emerge. The next case was the discovery of a new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the comparatively young persons with proved alimentary infection route – about 140 cases has been described. Physiological prions are glycoproteins, affixed to the rafts of cell membranes (namely in neurons) by glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. They act as signalling molecules and participate in the cooper metabolism. Despite the intensive study in many prestigious laboratories, the way how the pathogenicis oform of prions, given by the prevalence of beta-conformations in the polypeptide chain develops has not been proved yet. Pathogenic isoforms are formed intracellulary after the precedent endocytosis. Aggregations of abnormal prion molecules build up prion amyloid deposits in the form of fibrils or plaques. The loss of neurons brings about the neurological symptoms, which are not directly related to the amounts of amyloid deposits. Characteristic findings of spongiosis and the immunohistochemical evidence of protease-resistant prions belong to the only reliable tests. Reliable intravital test in the blood or urine is not yet available. All forms of human and animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies develop only in genetically sensitive individuals. A brief overview of clinical forms and some biochemical and genetic aspects of the disease are given.

        Key words: humans and animal forms of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, prion neuroinfections, CJD, vCJD, BSE, scrapie, CWD.