Contributed by William Angelos| 21 January, 2005 04:47 GMT
New research conducted with mice suggests that prions, the type of protein that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow Disease, could invade inflamed organs previously thought to be resistant. The findings, which are published in the journal Science, could have implications for future BSE testing.Previous screening tests have shown the prions that cause BSE are found only in specific organs, such as the brain and intestines. "So the assumption has been that other parts are safe to eat," says Adriano Aguzzi of the University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland, who led the new research.
Steak May Not Be Safe
If the investigations with mice hold true for cattle, it could mean that some organs previously thought to be safe are not.
"People in countries with BSE still eat steak because the authorities say if you stay away from the brain and lymphoid tissue, you should be safe," said Aguzzi. "But most prion testing has been done in healthy animals: If you have a sick cow, these rules may no longer apply."
The US and UK agencies responsible for BSE testing say the findings do not warrant any immediate changes to existing regulations, but they plan to review the new research in depth.
The following information on Mad Cow Disease is excerpted from information provided on the Health Canada website:
Fatal Degenerative Illness
"BSE is a fatal degenerative illness that affects the central nervous system of cattle. It is part of a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or TSEs, whose different forms affect different species of animals.
"All TSEs are believed to be linked to an abnormal form of a protein known as a prion. A build-up of this abnormal protein leads to a sponge-like appearance of the affected brain, causing neurological illness and eventual death. Diagnosis of BSE, not possible in live animals, can only be done by examining an animal's brain after death.
"A human form of TSE was first diagnosed in the 1920s and was named "Creutzfeld-Jacob disease" (CJD) after the two German scientists who described the illness. Classical CJD (cCJD) occurs naturally in the population at a rate of approximately one person per million individuals per year, making it extremely rare," according to Health Canada.
"Variant CJD is a new disease in humans linked to eating beef products from cattle infected with BSE. It attacks the central nervous system and is fatal if illness develops." |
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