Mad Cow Disease
Kendell Martin
Causative Agent
- an abnormal version of a protein normally found on cell surfaces, called a prion.
Description of the disease
- A transmissible, slowly progressive, degenerative, and fatal disease affecting the central nervous system of adult cattle.
Diagnosis
- It has an incubation period of months to years, during which there are no symptoms
- At present, there is virtually no way to detect Mad Cow Disease except by examining post mortem brain tissues
How the disease is transmitted
- By eating food contaminated with the brain, spinal cord, or digestive tract of infected carcasses
Relative frequency of the disease
- According to the CDC, four deaths have been identified in the U.S. However, it's believed those cases were caused by consumption of meat outside the U.S.
- Occurs each year at a rate of one to two cases per 1 million people throughout the world,
Disease course
- Abnormal protein called a prion is produced in the cow
- Cow becomes unable to walk, is old, or shows signs of neurological problems
- Cow is killed for its meat
- Brain matter or spinal cord is put into the meat
- Meat sold in a store or market
- The consumer eats the meat
- The prion then attacks the human central nervous system
- The human dies about 13 months after onset of symptoms
- The coroner diagnosis the dead with Mad Cow Disease
Possible complications
- Depression
- Loss of coordination
- Dementia
- Neurological problems
- Death
Target audience
- All ages
- Whoever eats meat
- Meat eaters in other countries