Bovine spongiform encephalopathy

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Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (pronunciation: boh-vine spon-jih-form en-sef-uh-lop-uh-thee), commonly known as Mad Cow Disease, is a neurodegenerative disease found in cattle. The term "Bovine" refers to the species group that includes cows, "spongiform" refers to the characteristic sponge-like pattern of neuronal damage seen in affected animals, and "encephalopathy" means disease of the brain.

Etymology

The term "Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy" is derived from Latin and Greek roots. "Bovine" comes from the Latin "bos", meaning cow. "Spongiform" is derived from the Latin "spongia", meaning sponge, and the Greek "forma", meaning shape. "Encephalopathy" comes from the Greek "enkephalos", meaning brain, and "pathos", meaning suffering.

Symptoms

Affected cattle display symptoms such as nervousness, aggression, decreased milk production, difficulty in walking or standing, weight loss, and decreased social interaction. These symptoms are due to the damage caused to the brain and spinal cord.

Cause

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is caused by a type of protein known as a prion. Prions are 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.

Transmission

The disease is believed to be spread through the feeding of meat-and-bone meal, which contains the remains of slaughtered animals, to cattle. This practice was banned in 1997.

Related Terms

  • Prion - An infectious agent composed of protein in a misfolded form.
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease - A rare and fatal condition that affects the brain. It is caused by prions and is similar to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.
  • Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease - A human disease thought to be caused by eating beef products contaminated with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy prions.

See Also

External links

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