Italian hospital saves Covid-19 patients by 3D printing valves

Re:Italian hospital saves Covid-19 patients by 3D printing v... by MPSimmons on Monday March 16, 2020 @10:02AM (#22592766)

That is a valid argument for neurological equipment, which has the highest liklihood of infection for prions, but during this pandemic, the likelihood of prion transmission is very remote, probably to the point that it approaches zero, and is probably zero for these valves.

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Re:Italian hospital saves Covid-19 patients by 3D printing v... by Balgair on Monday March 16, 2020 @11:24AM (#22593474)

Not all prions need to break skin to be an issue. Kuru, one of the more infamous prions, was transmitted orally [0]. Mad Cow is also thought to be transmitted orally, but research is on going. Though a low possibility, the absolute last thing you need is an even more complicated issue running about during a world-wide triage/crisis. To save live you are trying to eliminate variables, not add to them.

[0] Kuru is not something you want to research whilst eating, fyi. Hell, none of them are.

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Re:Italian hospital saves Covid-19 patients by 3D printing v... by s0rce on Monday March 16, 2020 @12:36PM (#22594180)

transmitted orally from eating neural tissues not from prions in saliva that could contaminate medical equipment such as ventilators (that's my understanding at least)

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Re:Italian hospital saves Covid-19 patients by 3D printing v... by Balgair on Monday March 16, 2020 @04:47PM (#22597533)

Mad Cow is still active in it's research. We cannot yet rule out that salivary contact is a transmitter of prions, though I agree that it is very unlikely.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3...

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Re:Italian hospital saves Covid-19 patients by 3D printing v... by eveningcoffee on Wednesday March 18, 2020 @12:22PM (#22618319)

It is in the eyes https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/detecti...

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