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How do cows get bovine spongiform encephalopathy?

In: Mad Cow Disease [Edit categories]

Answer:

Cows become infected with the prion that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by ingesting it. The prion is a misfolded protein found primarily in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). When a cow died with BSE and was rendered (basically cooked down into unrecognizable amino acids), the prion was not broken down. This rendered bovine protein was then added back to cow's rations to provide them a balanced nutritional diet - but it also infected them with the prion.

First answer by SummerMaple. Last edit by SummerMaple. Contributor trust: 63 [recommend contributor ]. Question popularity: 2 [recommend question].

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Relevant answers:

Who called bovine spongiform encephalopathy mad cow disease?
The term "mad cow disease" was a field name for the disease until laboratory testing gave it the more descriptive name of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (based on the signature lesions in the brain...
What is bovine spongiform encephalopathy?
It is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that causes holes in the brain. This disease is untreatable and always ends in death. Prions are the main source of this disease, and only...
What causes Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy?
Prions.
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What is the cause of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy?
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, commonly referred to as mad cow disease) is caused by a prion. This is a normal protein found primarily in the brain and spinal cord of cattle that gets folded...