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MadCowFactSheet.com is brought to you by AllNetHealth.com and is intended to provide basic information that you can use to make informed decisions about important health issues affecting you or your loved ones. We hope that you’ll find this information about Mad Cow Disease helpful and that you’ll seek professional medical advice to address any specific symptoms you might have related to this matter. In addition to this site, we have created the "Healthpedia Network" of sites to provide specific information on a wide variety of health topics.
Are BSE and "mad cow disease" the same thing? Is mad cow disease related to any other diseases? What causes mad cow disease and other TSEs? Where is the BSE agent found in cattle? Can mad cow disease be transmitted from one cow to another cow? Is there a mad cow disease test for meat? What are the clinical signs that cattle have mad cow disease? Is there any cure mad cow disease?How long can mad cow disease be in an animal before it shows signs of the disease?Are humans susceptible to mad cow disease? How many cases of vCJD have there been and have there been any in the United States? Can mad cow disease be transmitted to milk and other dairy products? What do I do if I ate recalled meat associated with mad cow disease? Will cooking (including microwave cooking) or irradiation kill the BSE agent? Where can I buy home test kits for contributing factors of this condition?
(top) Mad Cow Disease or BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is a progressive neurological disorder of cattle that results from infection by an unusual transmissible agent called a prion. The nature of the transmissible agent is not well understood. Currently, the most accepted theory is that the agent is a modified form of a normal protein known as prion protein. For reasons that are not yet understood, the normal prion protein changes into a pathogenic (harmful) form that then damages the central nervous system of cattle.
Are BSE and "mad cow disease" the same thing? (top) Yes. BSE stands for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and it is widely referred to as "mad cow disease." It is a chronic degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of cattle. BSE is named because of the spongy appearance of the brain tissue of infected cattle examined under a microscope.
Is mad cow disease related to any other diseases? (top) Mad Cow Disease belongs to a family of diseases known as the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). TSE animal diseases found in the United States include scrapie in sheep and goats, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in mink, feline spongiform encephalopathy in cats, and in humans: kuru, both classic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia.
What causes mad cow disease and other TSEs? (top) The agent that is responsible for Mad Cow Disease and other TSEs has not been fully characterized. Although other types of agents have been implicated, the theory that is most accepted in the scientific community is that the agent is a prion, which is an abnormal form of a normal protein known as a cellular prion protein. The TSE agents are extremely resistant to heat, ultraviolet light, ionizing radiation, normal sterilization processes, and common disinfectants that normally inactivate viruses and bacteria.
Where is the BSE agent found in cattle? (top) Current scientific research confirms that BSE infectivity occurs in the brain, trigeminal ganglia, tonsils, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglion, and distal ileum of the small intestine of cattle experimentally infected with the BSE agent. Research also confirms that Mad Cow Disease infectivity is in the brain, spinal cord, and retina of the eyes of cattle infected with the agent under field conditions. Although bone marrow has demonstrated infectivity in experimentally infected cattle, these findings are not conclusive
Can mad cow disease be transmitted from one cow to another cow? (top) No. Mad Cow Disease is not a contagious disease. There is no evidence that the disease is transmitted through direct contact or animal-to-animal spread. The primary means by which animals become infected is through consumption of feed contaminated with the infectious BSE agent.
Is there a mad cow disease test for meat? (top) No. The only USDA approved testing for the agent is post-mortem analyses of brain tissue. This is a laboratory screening test for Mad Cow Disease.
What are the clinical signs that cattle have mad cow disease? Cattle affected by mad cow disease experience progressive degeneration of the nervous system. Affected animals might display changes in temperament, such as nervousness or aggression, abnormal posture, in-coordination and difficulty in rising, decreased milk production, or loss of body weight despite continued appetite.
Is there any cure mad cow disease? No. There is no treatment for Mad Cow Disease. The course of the disease varies from two weeks to 14 months, usually resulting in death or humane destruction within four months in countries where the disease is present.
How long can mad cow disease be in an animal before it shows signs of the disease? (top)The incubation period (the time from when an animal becomes infected until it first shows disease signs) is from 30 months to eight years with only a few rare exceptions in younger animals. Following the onset of clinical signs, the animal's condition deteriorates rapidly. This process usually takes from two weeks to six months. Most cases in Great Britain occurred in dairy cows between three and six years of age.
Are humans susceptible to mad cow disease? (top) Although not scientifically proven, there is strong epidemiologic and laboratory data linking a rare, degenerative, fatal brain disorder in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) to the consumption of BSE-contaminated product. This type of disease begins primarily with psychiatric symptoms and affects younger patients (median age, 28 years).
How many cases of vCJD have there been and have there been any in the United States? (top) As of December 1, 2003, a total of 153 cases of vCJD had been reported in the world: 143 from the United Kingdom, six from France, and one each from Canada, Ireland, Italy, and the United States
Can mad cow disease be transmitted to milk and other dairy products? (top) There is no scientific evidence to suggest that milk and dairy products carry the agent that causes mad cow disease.
What do I do if I ate recalled meat associated with mad cow disease? (top) The recalled meat (class II from December 23, 2003) is considered safe by USDA, as the tissues that would carry the BSE agent were completely removed at slaughter and not used in meat cuts or products that might have been consumed by humans. The recall from December 23, 2003 was made out of an abundance of caution. If you have concerns that you might have contracted a food borne illness, then you should contact your health care provider.
Will cooking (including microwave cooking) or irradiation kill the BSE agent? (top) Current scientific research indicates that cooking will not kill the BSE agent nor will irradiation.
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