Pig protein is linked to new disease

Minneapolis Star Tribune

The mysterious neurological condition discovered among pork-plant workers in Southern Minnesota is a unique and identifiable disease, doctors at the Mayo Clinic said last week after conducting months of research.

Researchers think the disease, called Progressive Inflammatory Neuropathy (PIN), could be triggered by exposure to protein that is found in pig brain tissue.

Scientists hope that the discovery of PIN could help shed light on the body’s immune system and a family of similar autoimmune disorders that aren’t well understood.