The question to ponder must be what other animal species are infected? Why did it take 3 years to figure out that this goat was infected?

Because we as humans are IDIOTS! Goats are herbivores same as cows and most of our livestock. We are turning them into Omnivors and that isn't right. We really need to ban all animal parts in animal feed once and for all to get rid of this problem forever!

[edit on 28-1-2005 by sardion2000]

Yes it is the answer, You don't hear of Organic farms having BcE scares like this and thats all I eat now. The moment an Organic Cow or Chicken or Pig gets infected then I will start to be scared. However I believe that the problem is very simple to solve, if however it doesn't turn out that way, then I will change my opinion as I have done many times since I have come here

I would hope that your right. You have to remember though that until today they thought that only cattle had the disease, so I for one don't have a comfort level. Since scientists don't know what causes the disease, it really could be just about anything.
Suppose for instance that it actually isn't from the animal parts in the feed, but rather some contaminate in the grain/grass? Some form of fungus which attaches to grass. With all of the chemicals man uses these days for fertilization and what not, it really is not so far stretched a theory.

superdude excellent point! The fact still remains that the infected cattle have all come from conventional farming so I'm still giving Organic Farmers the benefit of the doubt. I will however keep a closer eye on the Science side of things to see if what you speculate about is true. I however doubt it but better safe then sorry!

This is a very good reason for everyone to demand that all animals be tested for BSE.

As I recall they said it would cost about ten dollars per animal, which is cheap considering the lives it could save.

I will however keep a closer eye on the Science side of things to see if what you speculate about is true. I however doubt it but better safe then sorry!

Yeah it's going to be interesting to see how this pans out. I have a terrible feeling that it's a whole heck of alot more ingrained in our world than we have a clue right now. Isn't the gestation period many years? I think it is. Think how scary that is. It takes years to figure out you have this disease, that means that it can be running rampant, and we don't know what we're looking for. We don't know what we're looking for, man that is what is so scary - it could be anything including an airborne transmitted disease....

This is a very good reason for everyone to demand that all animals be tested for BSE.

As I recall they said it would cost about ten dollars per animal, which is cheap considering the lives it could save.

Yeah I agree with you - add 15 dollars for each cow. Because you get such a high yield of meat off of each cow, it would only raise meat prices by pennies.

I thought the only way to test the animals was to kill em and conduct an Autopsy? Unless there is a new way to go about this.

I thought the only way to test the animals was to kill em and conduct an Autopsy? Unless there is a new way to go about this.

I'm under the same impression. I believe that they actually have to test brain tissue to tell. So here's a radical thought - is it possible to "give a cow a frontal lobotomy" for lack of a better word. Extract a minimal amount of brain tissue in a living cow to test?

Superdude, you've been mis-informed:

* Prion diseases are known to infect all "ungulates" - sheep, goats, cattle, deer, elk, etc. - the first known prion disease was "scrapie," which infects sheep. Prion diseases were identified in other animals only in the 1900's - after vaccines were mass-produced.

* Ungulate byproducts, usually from sheep, cows or goats, are used in vaccine manufacturing processes - one of the main problems being addressed by scientists behind the scenes. ...Last year (?), the FDA decided not to do anything to regulate possible prion contaminations in vaccine production because the advisory committee decided not enough was known about the problem to fix it.

* Infectious prions cross species and kingdom barriers - eg., first found in yeast around 1992(?)

* Prions cross species by mutating into new strains - the first generation infected may not be very ill, but the strain mutates to cause more serious disease for the next go-round. Last year for example, the US National Institute of Health identified an infectious prion enzyme linked to diabetes.

* Banning animal parts in feed won't solve the problem - prions are excreted in urine, milk and offal. ...The University of Wisconsin for example, reported several years ago that soil and water samples were contaminated. ...A university in Texas reported prion spread via insects...

*****Saying prions can't be infectious is a very old argument - finally debunked when Stanley Prusiner got his Nobel Prize in 1997 - for discovering prions in 1982.

FYI - infectious prions now are defined as "select agents" under new anti-terrorism legislation; research on prions and prion-related diseases is controlled. US scientists are not allowed to speak publicly about prions or Mad Cow disease, under threat of arrest and incarceration for "terrorist-related activity." ....Even Bush wouldn't do this if prions weren't 'real.'


THE GOOD NEWS - different prion strains fight with one another - so a varied diet is a good defense.

PREVENTION is possible, but requires a complete industrial clean up - new methods to decontaminate food production facilities - new filtering systems to clean wastewater and also, drinking water, and etc.



FYI - kuru was "discovered" and studied in cannibals in the 1950's on an isolated island - some people think the population was purposefully infected to research the disease.

Also FYI - when the prion discovery was announced in the early 1980's, mega-corporations spent a fortune trying to discredit Prusiner - but simultaneously restructured their businesses to avoid risks and associated liabilities - and left independent producers holding the bag...

The US government has a prion site where you can go to find basic information and spin - otherwise, a simple google search with attention to medical articles will lead to the above information, and more. ...It's all well known in the scientific world.

.I'm working on something that will include a list of all my references.

Originally posted by superdude

I thought the only way to test the animals was to kill em and conduct an Autopsy? Unless there is a new way to go about this.

I'm under the same impression. I believe that they actually have to test brain tissue to tell. So here's a radical thought - is it possible to "give a cow a frontal lobotomy" for lack of a better word. Extract a minimal amount of brain tissue in a living cow to test?

There are several tests available for live animals, most developed after 2000.

Their use is being blocked. ...One US company wanted to test all its cattle to ship to Japan, but was prevented from doing so...

soficrow - Very cool stuff, I asked to be enlightened and there you are -johnny on the spot - teaching me!

Banning animal parts in feed won't solve the problem - prions are excreted in urine, milk and offal. ...The University of Wisconsin for example, reported several years ago that soil and water samples were contaminated. ...A university in Texas reported prion spread via insects...

That is exactly what I was worried about. Now let's say an insect carries the prion, a possum eats the insect, then get's killed crossing the road. Raccoons, and birds eat the road kill. All the while defecating amongst their own. A hunter kills the raccoon and eats it. Well you know where I'm going with this...... Is it possible?

Their use is being blocked. ...One US company wanted to test all its cattle to ship to Japan, but was prevented from doing so...

Allright I'm not the biggest conspiracy guy around, and I didn't start this to imply in any way that there was one here, but this has the makings of a biggie IMHO. Who prevented them from doing so? What the heck is going on?

Greed and protecting the bottom line is going to cost many people their lives at a slow and painfull pace.

This just doesn't seem to make any sense. I generally have a positive outlook on things, but I can't seem to find the rationale here. What would the government possibly try to stop testing which IMO is necessary on so many levels?
Now how possible is it that this disease has already manifested itself in more animal types than we know? I for one think very possible. What is the gestation period for this presently?

You really do not want to get me started superdude...

* Prion diseases incubate silently for decades.

* Looks like the first human prion disease entered the world in the USA in the early 1900's - probably through military mass-vaccinations for WWI. Also looks like its spread round the world, and into most every wild and domestic animal population, including fish and sea-going mammals...

* IMO - Somehow, a natural barrier was broken, allowing prions to jump where they never had before. Pullution and environmental contamination prevents the earth from healing the breach, and closing the barrier naturally.

* Nothing and nobody gets tested because it's pretty much everywhere, at least in North America, and simple tests don't show the stage of progression or location in the body...


.

So not to say doomsday is coming in a form we didn't think about. How bad could it be? I mean this sounds as though there is potential for it to be REAL bad, but we just don't know it yet.
You had said something quite interesting several posts back about different prions fighting with one another. I read that to mean that they neutralize one another. Do prions mutate?
I'm still stunned that the Federal Government has blocked testing.

from the original lined article

Japan is the only country in Asia to have confirmed cases of BSE and, since October 2001, every cow slaughtered for consumption in the country has been screened for the disease.

Am I the only one confused that it took 3 years to tell us about the goat if the test can be done on each animal -- or are they testing each cow in Japan and 3 years from now might say "Oops that cow you ate 3 years ago had BSE. "

jm