Fears over new cow brain disease in UK

More bad news for farmers and consumers in the UK after BSE and foot and mouth.

Scientists are concerned at the potential threat to humans from a mysterious brain condition that paralysed and killed a young cow.

Tests for various known bovine diseases have all proved negative.

The Veterinary Laboratories Agency is now trying to pin down the cause of the disease, which has been described as a type of cattle polio.

At present there is no evidence to suggest a risk to humans, but scientists are not ruling it out.

It is thought that the brain disease vCJD originally passed to humans from cows infected with the closely-related condition BSE.

Analysis of this cow's brain showed that the disease affected the white matter. This led to paralysis for five to six days, followed by death.

Full story:

news.bbc.co.uk...

[edit on 8-6-2004 by John bull 1]

Well isn't that just lovely, something ellse in the food supply. Wonder if any other cattle were afflicted with this ailment but were butchered before showing infection, thus making the jump to humans. Also, how long will it be before it gets out of the UK, if it hasn't already.

Hopefully this is a false alarm. The BSE and foot and mouth crisis were a nightmare, they basically covered over the cracks and the media attention died out eventually, but I'll never forget the images of hundreds of cows being burnt up on a pile.
It's strange how it's never really talked about anymore, yet you do hear about the odd case now and then.

[edit on 8-6-2004 by John Nada]

I hope it's a false alarm, as well. A new threat to the cattle population, especially younger cattle, would be devastating.

Check out this article, it's interesting.

Scientists have found evidence to suggest that more people could be harbouring the human form of BSE than previously thought.

Researchers at Plymouth's Derriford Hospital and the CJD Surveillance Unit tested 12,674 appendix and tonsil samples - three showed signs of vCJD.

Extrapolating their findings to the whole population, they estimated that 3,800 Britons may harbour the disease.

The findings are published in the Journal of Pathology.

A total of 141 people have died from vCJD in the UK since the disease emerged in 1995.

Scientists have been suggesting that the number of deaths from the disease had peaked.

A recent study by researchers at Imperial College London predicted the disease would claim no more than 540 lives.

The scientists who carried out this latest study said their findings "need to be interpreted with caution".

"There is still much to learn about vCJD and presence of the protein in these tissue samples does not necessarily mean that those affected will go on to develop vCJD," said lead researcher David Hilton.

MORE HERE

U.K. Ministry vets check mystery cattle disease.

"Government vets are carrying out fresh tests on a cow that died from a type of brain disease that has yet to be identified, farm officials say.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency has recorded what is possibly a new condition in cattle in the UK...an initial diagnosis suspected botulsim but that has now been ruled out," an agriculture ministry spokesman said."
www.reuters.co.uk...

This press release is dated 25 May 04,
UK SIGNS INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT TO TACKLE ANIMAL DISEASE OUTBREAKS.
www.defra.gov.uk...

Coincedence ?
Sanc'.

Oh crap. More bad news. I ate beef all through the danger period, and I'm always worried.

Yet another thing for me to constantly worry about, I'll add it to the pile.