Mad Cow Disease

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

Due to
the fact BSE is a new disease most of my information might be proven wrong in
the future because there is a great deal of testing going on in the scientific
community. They are also very concerned about this new disease and the effects
it can have on humans if it is not stopped.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is not some bacteria and it is not a virus,
but in fact it is an infectious protein or prion [Greger p.2]. Before I go into
more detail, I would like to discuss what a prion is. A prion is composed solely
of proteins, and lacks genetic material in the form of nucleic acids. They are
the tiniest infectious agents known, they can only be viewed under the strongest
of electron microscopes [see appendix A]. Most scientists are puzzled because
nucleic acid is the basis reproductive material needed in all other life forms
[Britannica vol.9 p. 978]. Because of their unique makeup, prions are
practically invulnerable. They can survive for years in the soil. ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

down and are too sick to get up [Greger p.4].
There is no treatment so all affected cattle die. The incubation period ranges
from two to eight years [Hodgson p.2]. Following the onset of clinical signs,
the animal's condition deteriorates until it dies or is destroyed. This usually
takes from two weeks to six months. Most cases in Great Britain have occurred in
dairy cows between three and five years of age [Dealler Bio p.7]. The parts of
the cow that is affected by BSE are the brain, spinal cord, and retina from
naturally infected animals have been found to be infective and also the lower
ileum (intestine) from experimental cattle inoculated was found to be infective
[Varner ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: