Mad Cow Disease

The Bare Bones of Mad Cow Disease

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease, is a neurological disease of cows. A cow with BSE may exhibit symptoms such as: nervous or aggressive behavior, abnormal posture, incoordination, difficulty standing, decreased milk production, and weight loss. The disease is progressive, which means that an infected cow may go three to six years before showing any sign of the disease.  So, what does that have to do with food safety? Well, we eat cows. And generally eating something that is diseased isn't very good for you. In fact, if a person eats a beef product that is contaminated Mad Cow Disease, they may contract the human version of Mad Cow Disease, which is believed to be caused by the consumption of infected cattle.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or vCJD, can be caused by exposure to contaminated foods. Mad Cow Disease happens when the protein Prion changes and causes damage to the nervous system of cows. This same protein is what is believed to be the cause of vCJD in humans. There are other types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease(CJD), one has no known cause, and the other is hereditary. vCJD is a form of CJD that is related to Mad Cow Disease. However, vCJD accounts for only 1% of CJD cases. While, vCJD is very rare, the cases of Mad Cow Disease has occurred at alarming rates. 

The Disturbing Truth Behind the Transmission of BSE

Mad Cow Disease is not a contagious infection. A cow doesn't sneeze and infect dozens of other cows in a meadow somewhere. Cows are infected by BSE when they are fed the meat and bone meal of other cows that are infected with BSE. 

As illustrated in the animation above, cows have four stomachs. None of which are used to digest other cows. The digestive system of cows are specifically designed for the consumption of grass. So, it's no surprise that when cows are fed something other than grass, mutations and illness occur. Besides the ethical issues surrounding the spread of Mad Cow Disease, there is also a serious food safety issue. While vCJD makes up 1% of CJD cases, it could easily be 0%. The spread of BSE could be avoided by simply allowing cows to do what they do best and eat grass. 

Final Thoughts on Mad Cows

Mad Cow Disease hasn't be in the news much lately, but it's still an issue that people should care about. The fact that Mad Cow Disease is an issue illustrates the unethical and sometimes dangerous practices of the food industry. Simply being aware of what happens before your food ends up on your table may help to combat the spread of illnesses such as vCJD and BSE, or even E. Coli or Salmonella. Awareness can bring to light these issues and spark change. 

Sources: CDC, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Alberta Agricultural and Rural Development 

Further Reading: FDA

-Contributed by Karissa Francis