Kuru is a disease found in the interior of New Guinea. It was previously spread by the practice of consumption and preparation of the remains of dead people. This disease was researched in 1976 and the relationship of Kuru prions and the later development of the disease was discovered.

Prions are a tpe of primitive virus like creatures that contains proteins, but lack any nucleic acids. Mad cow disease is caused by a prion.

e have lumped all the virus like lifeforms herein, as science is still working on the taxonomy tree in this area.

Viruses are the most primitive of lifeforms. These organisms are usually too small to be seen by typical microscopes. Viruses are composed of a acid nucleus and some proteins. These organisms need to invade a living cell of a host in order to grow and reproduce. Several well known diseases are caused by viruses including Hepatitis, HIV, Mumps, Influenze, Rabies, and Yellow Fever.

There are several even more primitive virus like creatures that include viroids and prions. (Viroids can cause some plant health issues, and Prions can cause the mad cow disease.)

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