Also known as: BSE — Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, TSE — Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy', Mad Cow Disease, Prion — proteinaceous infectious particle, Scrapie — a transmissble prion affecting sheep that causes non-febrile neurological disease
Introduction
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a prion –associated transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) which causes a non-febrile neurological disorder affecting adult cattle. It has occurred as a result of the exposure of cattle to animal and ruminant-derived protein feeds e.g. meat-and-bone meal (MBM) containing the scrapie-like agent. As the disease progresses histological changes show bilateral symmetrical vacuolation in the grey matter of the brain, gliosis and hypertrophy of astrocytes, neuronal degeneration and cerebral amyloidosis. There is no evidence to support the horizontal transmission of BSE under natural circumstances but there is evidence supporting vertical transmission [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are neurological diseases that have been found in humans, cattle, sheep and other mammals (e.g. cats, goats, deer, antelope). The agent of disease is believed to be an abnormal prion protein (or is prion associated). An abnormal prion is a protein with an abnormal folding structure when compared to the naturally occurring prion found in nervous and lymphoreticular tissues. Various abbreviations are in use to refer to this: Prion Protein (PrP); Abnormal Prion Protein (PrPab); Resistant Prion Protein (PrPres); Scrapie Prion Protein PrPsc) and others.
Signalment
Clinical Signs
Clinical signs include progressive ataxia and pruritus.
Diagnosis
In most instances the abnormal prion is resistant to protein kinase digestion, a feature used in diagnostic techniques. Histology (immunohistochemistry) usually shows vacuolation and an accumulation of prion proteins in various parts of the CNS (especially the brain and spinal cord).
Treatment
Control
Refereneces
- ↑ Wilesmith, J.W., Ryan, J.B.M., 1997. Absence of BSE in the offspring of pedigree suckler cows affected by BSE in Great Britain. Veterinary Record, 141(10):250-251; 5 ref.
- ↑ Donnelly ,C.A., 1998. Maternal transmission of BSE: interpretation of the data on the offspring of BSE-affected pedigree suckler cows. Veterinary Record, 142(21):579-580; 9 ref..
- ↑ Fatzer, R., Ehrensperger, F., Heim, D., Schmidt, J., Schmitt, A., Braun, U., Vandevelde, M., 1998. Investigation of 182 offspring of cows with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Switzerland. Part 2. Epidemiological and neuropathological results. Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde, 140(6):250-254; 14 ref.
- ↑ Schreuder BEC, 1998. Epidemiological aspects of scrapie and BSE including a risk assessment study. ISBN 90-393-1636-8. Thesis University of Utrecht..
- ↑ OIE, 2000. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy. In: OIE Manual of Standards for diagnostic tests and vaccines. Office International des Epizooties, edition 4, 457-460.