Re: S. Korea curbs U.S. beef sales after confirmation of mad cow disease
The thing is, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopy is only transferable to humans who eat the infected flesh of the brain or spinal cord. The infected prions are not found in the muscle. So what does that say about the meat (ground beef especially) which is infected? Also, this prion infection is spread in cattle by feeding them grain mixed with bovine flesh. It IS spread by cannibalism. Even in humans, prion diseases are usually spread in the same manner. I think of the cannibalistic tribes in the west Indies who eat the brains of their dead relatives because of religious rites. Many of these people develop prion diseases.
What can be done to prevent this spread? Stop feeding cattle other cattle. Stop mixing brain and spinal material into ground beef to save money.
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