Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Information

("Mad Cow" Questions and Answers)

West Virginia Department of Agriculture Press Releases

• Department of Agriculture Adds Incentive to Disease Surveillance Program
  
• Commissioner of Agriculture Assures Consumers

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow disease) FAQ

Helpful links:

• http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/eden/bse
  
• http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/content/bsesatellite010704.htm
  
• http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse.html
  
• http://enews.primediabusiness.com/enews/beef/cowcalf_weekly/current
  
• http://www.beef-mag.com/

Contacts for further information:

• Dr. Bob Pitts (293-2631) rpitts@wvu.edu
  
• Dr. Phil Osborne (293-3391 ext 4203) posborne@wvu.edu
  
• Dr. Wayne Wagner (293-6131 ext 4205) Wayne.Wagner@mail.wvu.edu

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) FAQ

1. What is BSE? -- BSE stands for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, which is a slow developing neurological disease of cattle. It is caused by a small proteinaceous infectious particle called a prion. It is related to Scrapie in sheep, Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy (TME) in mink, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer and elk, and several spongiform diseases found in man such as CJD, GSS, FFI, and Kuru.
   
2. What are the signs of BSE in cattle? -- Cattle may be infected and show no clinical signs. The latent period before clinical signs are produced is unknown but may be as high as 10 years or longer. Cattle showing clinical signs of BSE may be disoriented, uncoordinated, and/or waste away. BSE in the final stage results in death.
   
3. How do cattle get BSE? -- Even though no one is certain, epidemiological evidence from the United Kingdom suggests that cattle become infected from feed supplements containing protein derived from sheep infected with scrapies. Protein from infected cattle carcasses was fed to additional cattle and amplified the number of infections.
   
4. Is BSE in the United States? -- After extensive surveillance and testing, only one case has been found in the United States. A dairy cow from the state of Washington tested positive for BSE in December 2003. This is no comparison to the 130,000 cattle that have been infected in Britain and Europe.
   
5. What is being done to prevent BSE in the United States? -- Since 1989 USDA has banned the importation of live ruminants and most ruminant products from the United Kingdom and other countries where BSE is diagnosed. Since 1990 USDA has conducted and expanded an active surveillance program in the United States. Since 1997 USDA supported FDA on the prohibition on feeding most mammalian protein to cattle and other ruminants. The USDA has established a Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Response Plan Summary that defines how a case of BSE would be investigated and controlled if suspected and/or diagnosed in the United States. This plan, which includes tracing herdmates and progeny, tracing distribution of meat products from positive animals, and quarantine of herdmates and progeny, is now being followed.
   
6. What is the chance of human infection in the United States? -- According to most independent experts, there is a very miniscule risk. The brain and spinal cord of cattle, where most of the prions are likely to be found in an infected animal, are removed during normal slaughter procedures and removed from the human food chain.