Mad Cow Disease

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KEY POINTS

• Mad cow disease is a disease found in cows that can spread to people. It affects the brain and spinal cord, causing a breakdown of the nervous system.
• Medicines may be prescribed to slow the disease. Other medicines may be prescribed to treat symptoms, such as depression or seizures.
• Follow the full course of treatment prescribed by your healthcare provider. Ask your provider what symptoms or problems you should watch for and what to do if you have them.

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What is mad cow disease?

Mad cow disease is a disease found in cows that can spread to people. It affects the brain and spinal cord, causing a breakdown of the nervous system. It is also called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). It rarely occurs in humans, but when it does, it is called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). It leads to death in 6 months to 5 years.

What is the cause?

The disease is caused by an abnormal version of a kind of protein called a prion. It is spread among cows when they are fed ground meat and bones from other cows. It can spread to people when they eat beef that contains the abnormal protein. In some cases, CJD appears to have been spread by blood transfusions from infected donors.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms may not develop for several years after infection with the abnormal protein. When symptoms develop, they include:

• Worsening memory and confusion
• Muscle spasms or lack of muscle control
• Trouble sleeping
• Unsteadiness when you walk
• Depression or anxiety
• Feeling very irritable or angry
• Seizures

How is it diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and examine you. Your provider will ask about your eating patterns. CJD is difficult to diagnose. Tests may include:

• Blood tests
• MRI, which uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to show detailed pictures of the brain
• PET scan, which is a series of detailed pictures that are taken after your healthcare provider injects a small amount of radioactive material into your blood.
• EEG, which measures and records the electrical activity in the brain
• A spinal tap to look at the levels of specific proteins
• A brain biopsy, which is the removal of a tiny sample of tissue for testing

How is it treated?

A cure has not yet been found for mad cow disease. Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for treatment.

Medicines may be prescribed to slow the disease. Other medicines may be prescribed to treat symptoms, such as depression or seizures.

How can I take care of myself?

Follow the full course of treatment prescribed by your healthcare provider. Ask your provider:

• How and when you will get your test results
• How to take care of yourself when you go home
• If there are activities you should avoid and when you can return to your normal activities
• What symptoms or problems you should watch for and what to do if you have them

Make sure you know when you should come back for a checkup. Keep all appointments for provider visits or tests.

How can I help prevent mad cow disease?

The risk of getting mad cow disease from beef is very low, but you can lower your risk if you:

• Eat chicken or fish instead of beef.
• Avoid beef products that could contain spinal cord or brain tissue. This includes ground beef, sausage, and hot dogs.
• If you travel to a country where mad cow disease has been detected, avoid beef. These countries include the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and others.