Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also known as ‘mad cow disease’, is an incurable, progressive degenerative brain disorder. It is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) caused by a misfolded form of a prion protein. It affects cattle, leading to neurological symptoms and ultimately death. BSE is of significant concern to the health and safety of people, as consumption of contaminated beef carries a risk of transmission of the disease to humans, through the consumption of infected beef products. This risk has resulted in extensive control measures and surveillance programs to protect public health and animal health. BSE is an increasingly serious global problem, which highlights the need for further research and better risk management systems to prevent and respond to outbreaks.