Changes

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'''''

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==

==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  <ref name="Wilesmith 1997">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..</ref>., <ref name="Donnelly 1998">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..</ref>,  

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  <ref name="Wilesmith 1997">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..</ref>, <ref name="Donnelly 1998">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..</ref>,