Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Question 1

What causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy?

Answer 1

prion protein incredibly resistant to heat and normal sterilization procedures

• REPORTABLE

Question 2

How is bovine spongiform encephalopathy transmitted? What cattle are most susceptible?

Answer 2

NOT CONTAGIOUS - commercial feed contaminated with rendered infected cattle (bone meal)

young

Question 3

What are 2 classic signs of bovine spongiform encephalopathy? What else is seen? When do these signs occur?

Answer 3

1. nervousness/aggression progressing to hyperesthesia (exaggerated reflexes) –> Mad Cow
2. persistent licking of muzzle

incoordination, abnormal posture, difficulty rising, progressive ataxia, fine tremor, weight loss, decreased milk production

over several months

Question 4

How is bovine spongiform encephalopathy diagnosed? What characteristic changes are seen?

Answer 4

histology of the brain –> bilaterally symmetric intracytoplasmic vacuolation of neurons

• confirmed with IHC for prion protein fibrils

Question 5

How is bovine spongiform encephalopathy treated?

Answer 5

no effective treatment - report cases and cull animals

Question 6

What is Creutzfeld-Jakob disease?

Answer 6

chronic, fatal neurodegenerative disease in humans caused by consumption of food containing ingredients from BSE infected cattle

• led to the ban of non-ambulatory cattle in human food and additional controls to inspect slaughtered cattle and forbid the use of mechanically separated meat in human feed