Mad Cow Disease and vCJD: Should we really be afraid?

Have you ever heard the name ' Mad Cow Disease ' and been scared? When you hear that name, it makes you feel like you're in a horror movie, right? Many people are unnecessarily scared because they don't know much about it. But today, let's talk simply about what it really is, how it affects people, and whether we should really be afraid of it.

First of all, what is 'mad cow disease'?

Simply put, mad cow disease is a disease of the nervous system of cows. The medical name for it is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) . It is not caused by a bacteria or a virus. It is caused by an abnormal protein called a prion.

Imagine, for no reason, a protein that is normally present in our body suddenly folds 'badly', takes on an incorrect shape, and starts behaving in a harmful way. This misfolded protein (prion) can also turn other good proteins into bad proteins like itself. Gradually, this bad protein accumulates in the brain and spinal cord, destroying nerve tissue. When cows develop this disease, they cannot stand or walk properly, and they can become restless and aggressive. However, it takes about 4-6 years for a cow to show these symptoms after being infected.

The disease was primarily spread in the United Kingdom in the 1980s and 1990s, when healthy cattle were fed animal feed made from the meat and bones of infected animals. However, due to strict regulations and safety measures in place in many countries around the world, the incidence of the disease in cattle is now very low.

Okay, so how does this affect people?

Yes, this disease can also infect humans. But then it is not called 'mad cow disease'. This condition in humans is called Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) .

But there's something important you shouldn't confuse here. There's another disease called CJD . It's called Classic CJD (Sporadic CJD). That's what this vCJD is.

• Classic CJD: This is not caused by eating beef. This is a very rare disease that can occur naturally, without any known cause, anywhere in the world, in anyone who eats beef or not. It usually affects people over the age of 65.
• Variant CJD (vCJD): This is associated with eating BSE-infected beef. It can affect people of any age.

In countries like Sri Lanka, the risk of developing vCJD from consuming beef is very close to zero . This is because there are very strict quality controls in importing cattle and meat into our countries and there have been no reports of BSE among cattle in our country.

What are the symptoms of vCJD?

This disease is a bit difficult to diagnose because the early symptoms are similar to mental problems. As the disease progresses, symptoms related to the nervous system appear.

As the disease progresses to its final stages, the patient becomes disoriented and loses track of time and place. Unfortunately, death usually occurs within 13 months of contracting vCJD.

How is this disease diagnosed and treated?

It is difficult to say with 100% certainty that someone has vCJD while they are alive. The only way to be completely certain is to have a brain biopsy after death.

However, if someone is suspected of having this disease, doctors will perform a series of tests to rule out other medical conditions.

• MRI brain scans
• EEG tests that monitor brain activity
• Lumbar Puncture
• Blood tests
• Genetic tests

Is there treatment?

Currently, all that is being done is to control the symptoms and provide relief to the patient. For example, medications are given for pain, mental distress, and insomnia.

How can we protect ourselves from this?

The best solution to this is to prevent cattle from contracting BSE. Countries around the world have taken strict measures to do so.

• Testing cows for BSE.
• Destroying sick animals.
• A complete ban on the inclusion of risky parts such as bovine brains and spinal cords in the human food chain and animal feed.

Important things for you as an individual to know:

• Cooking does not kill prions: Normally, when we cook, heating kills germs. However, these proteins called prions are not destroyed by high temperatures, acids, or radiation.
• Milk and dairy products are safe: Studies have shown that drinking milk from an infected cow does not transmit vCJD. So there is no need to worry about milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.
• Blood donation: In very rare cases, the disease can be transmitted through blood from an infected person. To reduce this risk, blood donors who have lived in countries where BSE has been reported are temporarily excluded from blood donation.

In conclusion, living in a country like Sri Lanka, we have no reason to have unnecessary fear about vCJD. Our country has very high food safety standards.