Which disease is caused by prions, including variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?

The correct choice highlights the association of prions with degenerative neurologic diseases, which is a significant characteristic of these infectious agents. Prions are misfolded proteins that can induce abnormal folding of normal cellular proteins, primarily in the brain, leading to a range of disorders. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is one such condition that arises due to prion accumulation in neural tissue, leading to rapid neurodegeneration, neurological symptoms, and ultimately death.

Degenerative neurologic diseases caused by prions vary in their symptoms but commonly include cognitive decline, motor dysfunction, and behavioral changes. vCJD specifically is linked to the consumption of prion-contaminated beef, highlighting the unique methods through which prion diseases can be transmitted.

Other conditions listed, such as bacterial meningitis, viral encephalitis, and cerebral malaria, are primarily caused by infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, and parasites, respectively, which operate through different pathogenic mechanisms, making them unrelated to the prion-induced degenerative processes that characterize disorders like vCJD. This distinction reinforces why prion-related diseases are categorized under degenerative neurologic diseases.