Bovine Flash Notes - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Flashcards
is pruritus a feature of BSE?
NO!!!!!!
what is the classic presentation of a cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy?
adult cow over 2 years old with an insidious onset of abnormal behavior, aggression/apprehension, ataxia, tremors, low head carriage, reduced milk yield, & weight loss
what diagnostic testing is used for screening for BSE? what do you do if you get an inconclusive result?
ELISA used for screening - sent to NVSL approved labs for confirmation
how do you find approved labs for BSE testing?
find approved labs through the national animal health laboratory network
T/F: BSE is a reportable, zoonotic disease
TRUE
how is BSE treated? what is the prognosis?
no treatment, euthanize!! prognosis is grave/always fatal
how is BSE prevented?
do not feed animal tissues/products to cattle!!! test all downer cows for BSE & take great care handling tissues
what is the pathogenesis of BSE?
transmissible spongiform encephalopathy caused by a misfolded version of a normal cellular prions that accumulate in cells causing dysfunction
what disease is BSE linked to in people?
variant form of creutzfeldt-jakob disease
what areas of the brain should be submitted for BSE testing?
obex (brainstem)
what tests are donw to confirm a diagnosis of BSE?
IHC of obex (brainstem) +/- electron microscopy - western blot used for autolyzed or degraded samples
what is the best method to destroy prions in BSE cows?
incineration of carcasses
how is BSE spread?
spread by ingestion - no genetic susceptibility required for infection
