1. Mad Origins
Mad Cow Disease is the common name for bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE. This fatal disease attacks cows' nervous systems, causing them to lose control of otherwise simple tasks like walking. This and other irregular behaviors make the cow appear "mad" or mentally unstable; hence the term Mad Cow Disease. Damaging proteins called prions are the cause of Mad Cow Disease. They attach to a cow's brain cells and result in this irregular behavior. The prion protein, first discovered in sheep, can occur in cats, deer, elk and other animals as well.
2. From Cow to Cow
Scientists first discovered BSE in 1985 among cows in England. It spread rapidly in that country because the British used the central nervous system of cows to create animal feed, thus passing on the defective proteins. Eventually cases of Mad Cow Disease spread throughout Europe, Japan, Canada and the United States. Occurrences of Mad Cow Disease worldwide have decreased thanks to strict testing and regulations.
3. Cows to Men
Mad Cow Disease is not a contagious disease. Rather, consuming products from animals that carry the prion protein causes Mad Cow Disease in humans. The USDA is extremely cautious in testing the meat supply and issues recalls at even the slightest suspicion of the disease's presence since there are no cures for Mad Cow Disease. There is no scientific evidence that indicates milk or other dairy products carry the disease.
4. Fatal Madness
Unfortunately, there are no treatments for Mad Cow Disease. It causes a fatal brain illness in humans called Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease or CJD. CJD usually occurs in older people so its presence in some younger patients was out-of-the-ordinary. Scientists eventually made the connection between Mad Cow Disease and this variant form of CJD referred to as vCJD. When humans contract vCJD, it progresses from tremors to loss of vision and bodily functions and ultimately to respiratory arrest and death.
5. Preventative Steps
Performing an autopsy is the only way to know definitively if a cow has Mad Cow Disease. For this reason, most governments destroy entire herds of cattle if there is any suspicion of the disease. In the past, when there has been any indication meat could be carrying the disease, it has been recalled immediately. The United States and Canada have banned the use of most proteins in animal feed, pet foods and fertilizer to help prevent the spread of this disease.
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