What is "Mad Cow Disease" (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy/BSE)?
Mad Cow Disease is the commonly used name for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a slowly progressive, degenerative, fatal disease affecting the central nervous system of adult cattle. Since 1990, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has conducted aggressive surveillance of the highest risk cattle going to slaughter in the United States.
What causes BSE?
The exact cause of BSE is not known but it is generally accepted by the scientific community that the likely cause is infectious forms of a type of protein, prions, normally found in animals cause BSE. In cattle with BSE, these abnormal prions initially occur in the small intestines and tonsils, and are found in central nervous tissues, such as the brain and spinal cord, and other tissues of infected animals experiencing later stages of the disease.
Was a second case of BSE identified in the U.S. in June 2005?
Yes, the USDA surveillance program identified the second BSE case in the U.S. This cow was originally identified in November 2004. Results from this animal were inconclusive in screening tests, but negative in confirmatory immunohistochemical tests. USDA recently conducted an additional confirmatory test, Western Blot, and the results were positive for BSE. USDA sent the samples to the Weybridge, UK lab where BSE was confirmed. An epidemiological investigation to trace the origins of the cow is underway. USDA confirms that the cow was born before the U.S. instituted its ban on the use of most mammalian protein in feed for ruminant animals-believed to be the most critical protective measure in preventing the spread of BSE among cattle.
Did meat and meat products from the June 2005 cow enter the food supply?
No, the cow was presented at slaughter as non-ambulatory (a downer). Therefore, in accordance with BSE regulations established by USDA and FDA the material from the animal did not enter the human food supply.
Was a case of BSE identified in the U.S. in December 2003?
Yes, the USDA surveillance program identified the first BSE case in the U.S. in a dairy cow in Washington State. The cow was bought from a farm in Canada.
Did meat and meat products from the 2003 BSE cow enter the food supply?
As soon as the BSE case was identified, both USDA and FDA activated their BSE Emergency Response Plans, and USDA immediately recalled the meat. Meat that did enter the food supply was quickly traced and was removed from the marketplace. Moreover, all the organs in which infectious prions occur were removed at slaughter and did not enter the food supply. Consumers should feel very confident that the system of multiple firewalls maintained by Federal agencies protects them from possible exposure to BSE. In addition, we believe it is important for consumers to also understand that scientific research indicates that muscle meat is not a source of infectious prions.
Food poisoning is common, but can also be life threatening. The most common form of food poisoning is caused by bacteria and include symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Encephalopathy means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Causes of encephalopathy are varied and numerous. The main symptom of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Other symptoms include lethargy, dementia, seizures, tremors, and coma. Treatment of encephalopathy depends on the type of encephalopathy (anoxia, diabetic, Hashimoto's, hepatic, hyper - hypotensive, infectious, metabolic, infections, uremic, or Wernicke's) are examples of types of encephalopathy.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, degenerative, invariably fatal brain disorder. CJD generally appears in the later years and runs a rapid course. Symptoms of CJD include failing memory, lack of coordination, visual disturbances, failing memory, blindness, weakness, and eventually coma. There are three major categories of CJD; 1) sporadic CJD, 2) hereditary CJD, and 3) acquired CJD. There is no cure for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, degenerative,
invariably fatal brain disorder. It affects about one person in every one million people per year
worldwide; in the United States there are about 200 cases per year. CJD usually
appears in later life and runs a rapid course. Typically, onset of symptoms
occurs about age 60, and about 90 percent of patients die within 1 year. In the
early stages of disease, patients may have failing memory, behavioral changes,
lack of coordination and visual disturbances. As the illness progresses, mental
deterioration becomes pronounced and involuntary movements, blindness, weakness of
extremities, and coma may occur.
There are three major categories of CJD:
In sporadic CJD, the disease appears even though the person has no known
risk factors for the disease. This is by far the most common type of CJD and
accounts for at least 85 percent of cases.
Infectious Disease RSS
Healthy Living Tips
