Mad Cow Disease News and Research

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Mad Cow Disease or BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is a progressive neurological disorder of cattle that results from infection by an unusual transmissible agent called a prion. The nature of the transmissible agent is not well understood. Currently, the most accepted theory is that the agent is a modified form of a normal protein known as prion protein. For reasons that are not yet understood, the normal prion protein changes into a pathogenic (harmful) form that then damages the central nervous system of cattle.

HMRI researcher lights a path to understanding brain diseases

Neurologist Mike Harrington of Pasadena, California's Huntington Medical Research Institutes argues that soon we may be able to detect brain disease before symptoms even begin. The secret is in the cerebrospinal fluid, the clear liquid that cushions our brain and spinal cord.

2 Feb 2006

Deer a possible source of "mad cow like" disease

A University of Kentucky researcher has warned that eating deer could put people at risk of a disease similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) commonly known as mad cow disease.

30 Jan 2006

New discovery may improve treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and type 2 diabetes

Proteins are large molecular chains that move around cells carrying vital information on the activity of the organism. The role of each protein depends largely on the form it takes, but the proteins occasionally lose this form when they collide and bind with other proteins.

15 Dec 2005

Chronic Wasting Disease in deer and humans

Researchers at Binghamton University have a first-ever opportunity to determine if Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer can be spread to humans who ingest "infected" meat.

26 Nov 2005

Protein involved in 'mad cow' disease

The journal Brain Research has recently published the results of research work by scientists from the University of Navarra.

18 Oct 2005

Osmolyte findings could have implications for the study of Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, kidney disease

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) have developed a new way to predict the ability of certain small molecules to protect proteins in the cells of a wide variety of organisms living in extreme environments.

9 Oct 2005

Prions rapidly 'remodel' good protein into bad

Two Brown Medical School biologists have figured out the fate of healthy protein when it comes in contact with the infectious prion form in yeast: The protein converts to the prion form, rendering it infectious. In an instant, good protein goes bad.

19 Sep 2005

Scientists characterize the most infectious prion protein particles

A new study of prions - apparently malformed proteins that initiate deadly brain diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans - has yielded surprising information about how the size of prions relates to their infectivity.

10 Sep 2005

Adlyfe receives award from the development of blood test for animal prion diseases

Adlyfe, Inc., a privately held biotech company headquartered in Rockville, MD, focused on early diagnostics for animal and human brain diseases announced the award today of a $650,000 two year grant from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK for continued development of a sensitive early blood test for animal prion diseases.

7 Sep 2005

India could be the source of Mad Cow disease

According to British scientists, Mad Cow disease may have originated from animal feed contaminated with human remains washed ashore after being floated down river in Indian funerals.

5 Sep 2005

U.S. to toughen mad cow safeguards after case in Texas

The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) has now formally closed its investigation of the first native U.S. case of mad cow disease, in June this year.

31 Aug 2005

New method can detect 'mad cow' proteins in blood

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) have found a way to detect the malformed proteins in blood that cause "mad cow disease".

29 Aug 2005

Austrian authorities find mad cow disease in Slovenian cattle

The health ministry says a case of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), was found in a Slovenian animal that had been brought to the southern city of Graz to be slaughtered, but says there is no risk to consumers.

25 Aug 2005

Psychologists find that two different thought processes can explain how we gauge our risk of disease

Psychologists have gained insight into how people judge their personal health risks. The findings suggest that people aren't horribly off the mark as long as they do not rely on media reports and stick to what's happened to people they know.

15 Aug 2005

Six possible cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Idaho sets alarm bells ringing

According to Idaho officials one case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been confirmed, and they are investigating five other suspected cases in the state.

14 Aug 2005

Psychologists have gained insight into how people judge their personal health risks

The findings suggest that people aren't horribly off the mark as long as they do not rely on media reports and stick to what's happened to people they know.

7 Aug 2005

Final tests negative for mad cow disease in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, has determined that the non-definitive test result reported on July 27 is negative for BSE. Tests conducted by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, England, are also negative for BSE.

4 Aug 2005

New surgical cleaning process reduces risk of vCJD

Scientists say a new cleaning process will reduce the risk of hospital transmission of the human form of mad cow disease.

4 Aug 2005

Three cases of mad cow disease in UK from donated blood

Health officials in the UK are warning blood donors that three patients developed the human form of mad cow disease after receiving blood from a possible one hundred people, some of whom are suspected of carrying the deadly agent.

21 Jul 2005

'Big Gun' government official needed to oversee U.S. animal disease programs

A National Academy of Sciences panel has said this week that one high ranking government official may be the best way to consolidate U.S. animal disease oversights in order to protect consumers from mad cow disease, bird flu and other serious animal ailments that can jump species.

19 Jul 2005