Mad Cow Disease Essay

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Mad Cow Disease

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), better know as Mad cow disease is a

relatively new disease. Most sources state that BSE first showed up in Great

Britain in 1986 [Dealler p.5] but some say it popped up in 1985 [Greger p.1].

However the official notification was not until 21 June, 1988 [Dealler stats.

p.1]. Spongiform encephalopathies are invariable fatal neurodegenerative

diseases and there is no treatment nor is there a cure for this disease [Greger

p.1]. The recent scare of BSE has arisen because of the contraction of

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD: see Appendix B) in humans from eating beef

products. Although there are many forms of Spongiform encephalopathies that

affect a wide range of animals, BSE has received the most attention because

many people in the world consume beef and people are that they might contract

the disease from eating a burger at their favourite fast-food restaurant. In

this essay I will discuss BSE and other forms of Spongiform encephalopathies,

how it affects the ani mal, what causes the animals to contract the disease, and

the recent issues of BSE in the world. I hope to set out the true facts about

BSE and that it only affects a small percent of the world population. Due to

the fact BSE is a new disease most of my information might be proven wrong in

the future because there is a great deal of testing going on in the scientific

community. They are also very concerned about this new disease and the effects

it can have on humans if it is not stopped.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is not some bacteria and it is not a virus,

but in fact it is an infectious protein or prion [Greger p.2]. Before I go into

more detail, I would like to discuss what a prion is. A prion is composed solely

of proteins, and lacks genetic material in the form of nucleic acids. They are

the tiniest infectious agents known, they can only be viewed under the strongest

of electron microscopes [see appendix A]. Most scientists are puzzled because

nucleic acid is the basis reproductive material needed in all other life forms

[Britannica vol.9 p. 978]. Because of their unique makeup, prions are

practically invulnerable. They can survive for years in the soil. Chemical

disinfectants, weak acids, DNAase, RNAase, proteinases [Dealler p.8],

ultraviolet light, ionising radiation, heat, formaldehyde sterilization, and

chemicals that react with DNA [Greger p.2], all have little effect on the

infectivity of the prion. Only marinating your hamburger in Drain-O would make

your burger safe to eat [Greger p.2].

BSE, is a slowly progressing degenerative disease affecting the central

nervous system of cattle. BSE is the same as most of the other spongiform

encephalopathies, they evoke no immune response and consequently slowly

accumulate for an incubation period up to 30 years. You cannot detect them,

purify then, nor can you isolate them [Greger p.2]. One of the main issues that

affect most farmers is how do they know if a cow has BSE. Cattle affected by BSE

develop a progressive degeneration of the nervous system. Affected animals may

display changes in temperament, such as nervousness or aggression, abnormal

posture; incoordination and difficulty in rising, decreased milk production, or

loss of body condition despite continued appetite [Kent p.10]. However it has

been noted the signs in American cows is much different. They instead stagger to

their death like downer cows do. "A downer cow" is referring to the industry

term which describes cows who fall down and are too sick to get up [Greger p.4].

There is no treatment so all affected cattle die. The incubation period ranges

from two to eight years [Hodgson p.2]. Following the onset of clinical signs,

the animal's condition deteriorates until it dies or is destroyed. This usually

takes from two weeks to six months. Most cases in Great Britain have occurred in

dairy cows between three and five years of age [Dealler Bio p.7]. The parts of

the cow that is affected by BSE are the brain, spinal cord, and retina from

naturally infected animals have been found to be infective and also the lower

ileum (intestine) from experimental cattle inoculated was found to be infective

[Varner p.3].

Great Britain is the site where the major problem of BSE started. The

increase of BSE in the UK was mostly due to the fact that farmers were feeding

their cattle a bovine food which included parts of dead sheep that had scrapie

[see Appendix B.]and also the offal [see Appendix B] of dead cows that carry the

BSE disease. This method of preparing the bovine food started in 1980, in order

to be protein concentrated which in return made the cows increase their milk

yield. Most people did not know BSE could be transmitted through the food

derived from dead sheep and cattle. Because the normal incubation period for a

cow is 2-8 years, most of the BSE infected cattle did not start to show signs

until sixth and seventh year. Due to the fact that a very small amount of the

cows that were infected with BSE showed the symptoms early in the 1980's , they

were not detected as having BSE. Most of these cows were then recycled into

bovine food, which was then feed to more cattle and more cattle became infected.

It was not until July of 1988 that the feed manufacturers were issued a warning

to stop the production of bovine food with the presence of cattle offal that

were infected with BSE [Dealler pg.2]. And it was not until 25 September, 1990

that bovine offal were specified to be banned from the food of all species

[Dealler stats. p.1].

In 1987 the British Government stated that BSE could not be transmitted

to any other species because it was the same as scrapie [Greger p.1]. They were

proven wrong and within a few weeks a cat died of a hitherto unknown feline

spongiform encephalopathy contracted from an infected cat food. This caused an

all out worry in Britain, fearing...

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