There are a number of tests with component “Abnormal Prion Protein.” These abnormal proteins occur in a number of different diseases in different species. They can be detected by a number of different methods.
http://search.loinc.org/search.zul?query=abnormal+prion
As this search shows, we have not differentiated tests for BSE from tests for CJD, Scrapie (sheep and goat disease similar to CJD or BSE) etc. However, the specific test kits, etc., are generally validated for one of the diseases. They probably cross react but to varying degrees.
The actual prion proteins vary slightly between species and even more slightly between diseases. The number of prion mediated diseases is growing, and evidence is accumulating that some known neurological diseases may be prion mediated.
Is this enough difference between tests with the same method for the abnormal prion proteins of different diseases that we should be splitting these codes into a code for each disease? Obviously only those that represent actual deployed tests, not the cross product of all.
Mike
