There are several tests that can be used to aid in the diagnosis of TSE. Specialized laboratories can analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood and brain tissue obtained at biopsy or at autops
- Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Progressive mental deterioration that soon leads to progressive unsteadiness and clumsiness, visual deterioration, and/or muscle twitching.
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also known as prion diseases, are a group of progressive conditions (encephalopathies) that affect the brain and nervous system of many animals, including humans.Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also known as prion diseases, are a group of rare degenerative brain disorders characterized by tiny holes that give the brain a "spongy" appearance. These holes can be seen when brain tissue is viewed under a microscope.
symptoms of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies is Progressive mental deterioration that soon leads to progressive unsteadiness and clumsiness, visual deterioration, and/or muscle twitching.
- Does Mad Cow Disease Affect Humans?
A human version of mad cow disease called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is believed to be caused by eating beef products contaminated with central nervous system tissue, such as brain and spinal cord, from cattle infected with mad cow disease. For this reason, the USDA requires that all brain and spinal cord materials be removed from high-risk cattle -- older cattle, animals that are unable to walk, and any animal that shows any signs of a neurological problem. These cow products do not enter the U.S. food supply. The USDA believes this practice effectively safeguards U.S. public health from vCJD.
According to the CDC, four deaths from vCJD have been identified in the U.S. However, it's believed those cases were caused by consumption of meat outside the U.S.
It is important to clarify the differences between variant CJD and another form of the disease, referred to as classic or sporadic CJD. Classic CJD has no known cause and occurs each year at a rate of one to two cases per 1 million people throughout the world, including in the U.S. and countries where mad cow disease has never occurred. It is not linked to eating nerve tissue from mad cow disease-affected cattle -- both vegetarians and meat eaters have died from classic CJD. CJD most commonly affects people over 65 and is usually fatal within six months from onset of symptoms.
- Treatment:
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