Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE, also known as Mad Cow disease, was first diagnosed in Great Britain in 1986. (1) BSE is another form of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathlies (TSE). TSE's are transmissible because they are capable of being spread from one animal to another. TSE's are spongiform because they cause the appearance of sponge like wholes in the brain. TSE's are encephalopathic because they are neurodegenerative diseases of the brain.(13) BSE is a progressive, fatal neurological disease of adult cattle that resembles scabies of sheep and goats. BSE also has been transmitted experimentally to pigs, sheep, mice, mink, Maraque monkeys, and marmosets. BSE has also been diagnosed in several species of captive ungulates including nyala, gemsbok, eland, Arabian Oryx, Kudu, Scimitar Oryx, Ankole Cow, and Bison. It has also been diagnosed in at least five species of felids including Puma, Cheetah, Ocelot, Lion, and Tiger. Only the United Kingdom has experienced a significant epidemic although other countries have had lower incident rates of BSE. Cattle populations in other countries have become infected as a result of the importation of meat and bone meal from countries with the disease.

The molecular nature of the disease of the disease causing agent is uncertain. The disease is associated with an abnormal form of a membrane protein, PrP(prionprotein). A hypothesis was formed for which