News

SEE: USDA APHIS | USDA Announces Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Detection

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2023/bse

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed that this cow was positive for ...

Also see: USDA Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy FACTSHEET

[https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fs-bse.pdf]

“...Related Diseases BSE is part of a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Some TSE diseases include scrapie in sheep and goats, chronic wasting disease in deer, elk and moose, and classic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in people. BSE is considered a public health concern because cases of variant CJD in people are linked to the consumption of food containing ingredients derived from classical BSE infected cattle.”

and

U.S. CDC: Prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a family of rare progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect both humans and animals. They are distinguished by long incubation periods, characteristic spongiform changes associated with neuronal loss, and a failure to induce inflammatory response.

The causative agents of TSEs are believed to be prions. The term “prions” refers to abnormal, pathogenic agents that are transmissible and are able to induce abnormal folding of specific normal cellular proteins called prion proteins that are found most abundantly in the brain. The functions of these normal prion proteins are still not completely understood. The abnormal folding of the prion proteins leads to brain damage and the characteristic signs and symptoms of the disease. Prion diseases are usually rapidly progressive and always fatal.

Mad Cow Disease: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments for vCJD (webmd.com)

https://www.webmd.com/brain/mad-cow-disease-basics

“... Is it Possible to Get vCJD From Eating Food Purchased in the U.S.?

It is extremely unlikely that this would happen. To prevent mad cow disease from entering the country, since 1989 the federal government has prohibited the importation of certain types of live animals from countries where mad cow disease is known to exist. This ban includes meat products used in human, animal, and pet foods. In addition, prohibiting high-risk animals from entering the food supply and the removal of central nervous system tissue from the food supply help ensure that BSE is not a risk to consumers. ...”

Editor’s NOTE:  This rare but potential “animal to human transmissible disease” requires a One Health approach for maximum public health safety analysis, evaluation and protection/prevention.