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Cows become infected with the prion that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by ingesting it. The prion is a misfolded protein found primarily in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). When a cow died with BSE and was rendered (basically cooked down into unrecognizable amino acids), the prion was not broken down. This rendered bovine protein was then added back to cow's rations to provide them a balanced nutritional diet - but it also infected them with the prion.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoBovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, commonly referred to as mad cow disease) is caused by a prion. This is a normal protein found primarily in the brain and spinal cord of cattle that gets folded the wrong way. Once one protein is mis-folded, it starts to cause other copies of the same protein to also misfold - as these mis-folded proteins accumulate, they eventually choke the nerve cell until it dies. The clinical signs of BSE - sudden aggression, change in gait, etc. - are caused by the various nerve cells dying.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoMainly though other ruminants eating protein-based feed that contains ground up parts of animal by-products infected with BSE. Other possibilities include genetics, as BSE is also known to spread on down the line from mothers to daughters and/or sons on to grand daughters /sons and so on.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agomad cow disease
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoPrions.
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What is another name for BSE?
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cows.
Who called bovine spongiform encephalopathy mad cow disease?
The term "mad cow disease" was a field name for the disease until laboratory testing gave it the more descriptive name of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (based on the signature lesions in the brain tissues). Media outlets preferred the term "mad cow disease" because it was more sensational and easier for the general public to understand.
How can mad cow disease be treated or cured?
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, the scientific name for mad cow disease) cannot be treated or cured - it is progressive and 100% fatal in all cattle that contract it.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a food-borne illness also known as?
The popular name for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is mad cow disease. While this disease can be a food-borne illness, international food safety agencies have put regulations and laws in place to prevent the spread of BSE. Because of this, the number of human infections with BSE (called variant Creutsfeld-Jacob disease or vCJD) has been dropping every year throughout the world.
Is mad cow disease rna or DNA?
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, the scientific name for mad cow disease) is caused by a prion, a normal protein that is mis-folded and cannot be broken down by the body.
What disease is the same as Mad Cow disease?
No, BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the scientific name for mad cow disease) is generally thought to be caused by a prion, a misfolded protein. There are some theories that BSE could be caused by a virino, a very small virus, but this is not the currently accepted research.
What kingdom and phylum does mad cow disease belong to?
The infectious portion of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, the scientific name for mad cow disease) is not a living entity - it is a misfolded infectious protein. Therefore, it is not classified in the taxonomy of living creatures and has no Kingdom or Phylum.
What treatments have been used in the past for mad cow disease?
To the best of my knowledge, no one has tried to treat bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, the scientific name for mad cow disease). This is because the disease is caused by a prion, a misfolded protein, and there are no medications that can reverse the misfolding.
What is another name for prion disease?
A prion is a misfolded protein that is considered an infectious agent because they cause properly folded proteins to convert into the misfolded, prion form. In humans, prions cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In cattle, prions cause mad-cow disease.
What country is mad cow disease most commonly in?
During the initial emergence and outbreak, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, the proper name for mad cow disease) was primarily found in cattle in the United Kingdoms. Today it has been almost completely eradicated from the world, although sporadic cases are reported occasionally in different countries.
What is the relationship between mad cow disease and creutzfeldt-jacob syndrome?
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, the scientific name for mad cow disease) is the name of a progressive neurologic disease caused by an infectious prion in cattle. When humans become infected by this prion, the syndrome observed in humans is called variant Creutzfeldt-Jacobs Disease (vCJD).
What cool words would you use for songs?
The entire English language is at your disposal (or for that matter any other language, real or imaginary, since nobody is forced to compose their songs only in English). Personally I like the medical name for mad cow disease, which is bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Feel free to use it in a song.
