Prions are quite difficult to inactivate. Table 2 in this paper:

http://www.shea-online.org/Assets/files/other_papers/Prion.p...

shows data on what seems to work and not. "Standard" autoclave procedures don't.

If the misfolded proteins referred to in the article share the inactivation robustness of prion proteins, it doesn't seem all that remote a possibility that surgical instruments used on Alzheimers patients could spread the illness.

Anybody know if surgical instrument disinfection procedures vary according to the particulars of the patient they were used on?