Mad Cow Detection Method Discovered

Kenneth Miller
4:00 PM
09/05/08


Canadian researchers believe they have found a method to detect mad cow disease in live cows. The technique requires a sample of urine from the cow, which is then analyzed to search for traces of bovine spongiform encephalopathy string of proteins, which is unique to mad cow disease. This new development hopes to promise easier testing of bovine, and that the knowledge obtained from this form of test can be re-utilized for detecting diseases in other animals as well. The test used at present cannot be used on live cows and require brain tissue samples, making the process difficult and lengthy in analysis. The discovery of this new test, could also benefit humans, by using the same knowledge to develop a urine test for Human Dementia. The importance of the discovery is paramount to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and will hope to be a usefull diagnostic in the future. The true horrors of the mad cow disease started back in 1980 when millions of cattle were slaughtered for fear of the disease spreading. The tainted bovine proves to cause the brain-decaying illness CJD when consumed by humans. The cases of CJD have been minimal since the outbreak, but scientists still hope to prevent another.

This bit of knowledge I think will prove extremely useful in the future, as to help prevent not only mad cow disease but possibly many other diseases that could be detected early, and put to rest before turning into a true pandemic. I do remember back in my early school days, that there were numerous mentions of possible mad cow pandemic, and although this meant little to nothing to me in childhood, it feel very ill on my parents and others who had been around, especially in the UK, during the outbreak. The severity has not yet been repeated apparently, but still it is a terrifying issue; to think that any meat you ingest could result in a disease that is the equivalent of rabies. However the new method is reassuring. Unless your vegan or vegetarian, then you really didn't have much to worry about to begin with. I am also slightly amazed how technological discoveries open up whole webs of possible specialization. I mean from detecting mad cow, to dementia in humans is quite the leap, but then again I suppose the principle of the matter is similar. On that note I think I'm going to eat a whopping hamburger in the caf, with a small air of smug satisfaction.