Mad Cow Disease

Coutii Healthy - Mad cow disease (mad cow disease) is a disorder in the brain that is caused by a prion infection (abnormal proteins in animals). The prion is found in some parts of the body of animals, such as the brain, eyes and spinal cord. If it invades the brain, the prion will evolve and damage the nervous system.

In the world of medicine, mad cow disease in cattle known as BSE (BSE). Whereas this disease in humans, known as the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and many are found in the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a severe brain disorder that can cause a fatal impact, even resulted in death. The symptoms of this disease are generally similar to the symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other brain disorders, but this infection more aggressive and grow worse in a short time.

Mad cow disease is relatively rare and is rarely found. According to research, the disease strikes one in a million people per year and is found in adults.

In general there are four types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), namely:

• Sporadic CJD. Is a kind of mad cow disease which is most often found. The disorder appears as a change in brain proteins became abnormal proteins, called prions. The cause is not yet known with certainty. Most diseases of this type occur in adults aged 45-75 years. The symptoms started to develop at the age of 60-65 years.
• Variant CJD (vCJD). Caused by the consumption of meat cattle infected with mad cow disease positive and contain prions. Incubation period of a type of mad cow disease is very long, can be more than 10 years.
• Familial CJD. Is a kind of mad cow disease that is most rare. A person suffering from this disorder because it was revealed in the family. This type of attack every one of the nine million people in the world.
• Iatrogenic CJD. Accidentally transmitted through medical procedures such as treatment and surgery. A number of medical devices that are not sterilized can be a medium of transmission of mad cow disease.

Symptoms Of Mad Cow Disease

Most sufferers are mad cow disease died within a year since the first symptoms appear. Generally, the mad cow disease characterized by the appearance of some of the symptoms below:

• Impaired memory and other brain functions.
• Changes in personality.
• Impaired balance.
• Talk is not clear and the vision impaired.
• Experience of psychological disturbances such as anxiety depression.
• Some parts of body tingling and hard driven.
• Experience insomnsia, dementia, and can continue into a coma.

If not addressed appropriately, mad cow disease could lead to complications in the brain. If it happens, someone will have difficulty in thinking, remembering, alienating himself from friends and family, and generally being uncaring towards yourself. The most severe form, the disease can cause death.

The Cause Of Mad Cow Disease

To date is not yet known what causes normal proteins into a centralized prion protein, which can occur in the small intestine, brain, or spinal cord farm animals. The disease can be transmitted from one animal to another animal or even human.

Mad cow disease is contagious when the infected animals were slaughtered, then parts of the body that are infected animals used for human consumption or animal feed. In other words, a person is at risk of contracting mad cow disease if they eat parts of the brain and spine of infected animals.

Although the exact cause is unknown, genetic factors and age believed it could increase the risk of mad cow disease. Someone with familial CJD can reduce this condition to his descendants. In terms of age, people with age above 60 years of age are more susceptible sporadic CJD.

The Diagnosis Of Mad Cow Disease

Allegations against mad cow disease are determined based on the progression of symptoms and medical history of the patient. The only way to know for sure whether someone suffered a mad cow disease is to biopsy the brain through autopsy, conducted when the sufferer is already dead.

However, there are various diagnostic procedures that can help diagnose this disease, including:

• Pemeriksaan neurologis. Pada tahap awal, dokter neurologi (spesialis saraf) akan memeriksa kemungkinan adanya penyakit lain yang memiliki gejala serupa, misalnya penyakit Alzheimer, penyakit Parkinson, atau tumor otak.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG). Untuk merekam aktivitas otak dan membantu mendeteksi aktivitas elektrik yang tidak normal pada penderita sporadic CJD.
• Pemindaian dengan MRI. Menggunakan gelombang radio dan medan magnet untuk mendapatkan gambaran detail tentang kondisi otak pasien.
• Pungsi lumbal. Pengambilan sampel cairan otak dari area tulang belakang pasien untuk diteliti lebih lanjut.
• Pemeriksaan genetik. Tes darah dilakukan untuk mendeteksi potensi terjadinya mutasi dalam gen dan memastikan adanya faktor keturunan.
• Biopsi amandel. Pengambilan sampel jaringan amandel untuk melihat kemungkinan adanya prion di amandel penderita variant CJD.

Mad Cow Disease Treatment

There is no specific treatment that is proven to effectively cope with the mad cow disease. A number of drugs have already been examined, but no real impact in the cure of this disease. Treatment with antivirals and antibiotics not give positive influence on a patient's condition.

Handling that can be given is the drugs or medical action to relieve the symptoms that appear in patients. For example, the drug an antidepressant to relieve psychological disorders or provide clonazepam and sodium valproate to relieve muscle cramps.

Mad Cow Disease Prevention

Mad cow disease often occurs spontaneously, so it is difficult to be prevented. Sterilization to prevent bacteria and viruses do not spread to the rest of the body is also not effective. However, there are some efforts that could be made to reduce the risk of transmission of mad cow disease, of whom:

• Destroy the source of the infection. One way to minimize the transmission of mad cow disease is by destroying the carcasses of meat that could potentially transmit disease, either to humans or other animals.
• Blood transfusions with safe. People who are at risk of contracting mad cow disease prohibited conduct blood donation to reduce the risk of transmission.
• Restrict meat imports. Especially meat imports from countries that are vulnerable to mad cow disease, such as the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland.
• Supervision of farm animals. The way this was done starting from the control of livestock feed, hurts animal treatment, to the limitation of the consumption of animals that are at risk of experiencing and transmit mad cow disease.

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