History of Mad Cow Disease

Mad Cow Disease, or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), is a neurodegenerative disease that affects cattle and can be transmitted to…

By Staff , in History of Disorders , at July 14, 2024 Tags: health, medicine

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Mad Cow Disease, or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), is a neurodegenerative disease that affects cattle and can be transmitted to humans, leading to a variant form called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).

Discovery and Early Cases
First Identified: BSE was first identified in cattle in the United Kingdom in 1986. The disease was noted for its progressive neurological deterioration, leading to the characteristic “mad cow” behavior.
Causative Agent: BSE is caused by prions, which are misfolded proteins that can induce other proteins to also misfold. Prions are highly resistant to standard methods of sterilization and can cause brain damage, leading to the sponge-like appearance seen in infected brains.

Spread and Outbreaks
Epidemic in the UK:
Peak of the Epidemic: The BSE epidemic in the UK reached its peak in 1992-1993, with thousands of cases reported each year.
Transmission: It was discovered that the disease spread through the practice of feeding cattle with meat and bone meal that contained the ground-up remains of other infected animals. This practice was banned in 1988, but the disease continued to appear due to the incubation period of several years.

Human Impact:
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD): In 1996, the first human cases of vCJD were identified, linked to the consumption of BSE-contaminated beef products. vCJD is a rare and fatal condition that affects the brain, leading to severe neurological symptoms.

Regulatory and Control Measures
International Response:
Bans and Regulations: In response to the outbreak, many countries banned the import of British beef and implemented strict regulations to control the spread of BSE. These included bans on the use of meat and bone meal in animal feed and stringent surveillance programs.
Testing and Surveillance: Extensive testing and monitoring programs were established to detect and prevent BSE in cattle populations. These measures significantly reduced the number of new BSE cases.