With the latest case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) garnering all kinds of media attention, I thought it might be interesting to turn our attention to some promising research into the disease.
BSE is a rare, fatal, neurodegenerative disease in cattle. Symptoms can include everything from changes in temperament to an inability to stand.
Though there is some evidence to suggest that BSE can result from a mutation within the prion protein gene, it is most commonly spread by feed containing meat and bone meals from infected animals. Infected feed may contain prions (PrPsc), or disease-causing forms of cellular prion protein (PrPc). The pathogenic PrPSc exhibit abnormal folding, and are able to recruit normal cellular prion proteins to fold in the same manner. Clusters of prions appear as microscopic holes in the brain, giving BSE its “spongy” nature.
There is currently no test to detect BSE in live animals, but recent research has shown promising results in both diagnosis and management.