27 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
27 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

This is Not Good! Texas man 4th in the US to die from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or "mad cow"...

by Joe Mobley
20 replies
  • OFF TOPIC
    • |
(Reuters) - A Texas man has died of the fatal brain illness variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, the fourth person to die of the disease in the United States
CJD is a rare, degenerative, fatal brain disorder in humans, believed to be caused by consumption of products from cows with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or "mad cow" disease.
A very short article. Let me recommend it to you.

Texas man fourth in U.S. to die from rare brain disease: CDC | Reuters

Joe Mobley
  • Profile picture of the author ThomM
    "The history of this fourth patient, including extensive travel to Europe and the Middle East, supports the likelihood that infection occurred outside the United States," the CDC said in a statement this week.
    That sounds about right. If it happened here chances are a couple others (at least) would also contract it.
    Signature

    Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
    Getting old ain't for sissy's
    As you are I was, as I am you will be
    You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9252578].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TiffanyLambert
    Just an FYI - the guy had been traveling and eating in foreign countries.

    From the article:

    "The history of this fourth patient, including extensive travel to Europe and the Middle East, supports the likelihood that infection occurred outside the United States," the CDC said in a statement this week.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9252621].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
      Hey Tiffany. Good to see you, as it were.

      You are correct. It looks like all four may have contracted the disease overseas. I do remember what a stir this created when the UK had several cases of mad cow disease some years back.

      Of course any death is unfortunate but if this becomes a broader issue, beef will become very cheap.

      Joe Mobley

      Originally Posted by TiffanyLambert View Post

      Just an FYI - the guy had been traveling and eating in foreign countries.

      From the article:

      "The history of this fourth patient, including extensive travel to Europe and the Middle East, supports the likelihood that infection occurred outside the United States," the CDC said in a statement this week.
      Signature

      .

      Follow Me on Twitter: @daVinciJoe
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9252639].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
        Originally Posted by Joe Mobley View Post

        beef will become very cheap. Joe Mobley
        Cheap? You won't be able to give it away.
        Signature
        Why do garden gnomes smell so bad?
        So that blind people can hate them as well.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9252805].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          This is four U.S. deaths in the 15 or more years since the disease was discovered? All of the people had been in other countries. We've had only a handful of cattle diagnosed with Mad Cow - we've had thousands of cattle destroyed out of fear of Mad Cow.

          Every couple of years we have a flurry of fear articles about this disease. Worldwide, I can find only 220 or so total deaths. That's nothing compared to the number of people in the world.

          I think it gives cows a bad rap.
          Signature
          Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
          ***
          Live life like someone left the gate open
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9252954].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author seasoned
            Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

            This is four U.S. deaths in the 15 or more years since the disease was discovered? All of the people had been in other countries. We've had only a handful of cattle diagnosed with Mad Cow - we've had thousands of cattle destroyed out of fear of Mad Cow.

            Every couple of years we have a flurry of fear articles about this disease. Worldwide, I can find only 220 or so total deaths. That's nothing compared to the number of people in the world.

            I think it gives cows a bad rap.
            WHO CARES about the "deaths"!?!?!?!? The ones that "die" EARLY are the LUCKY ones! For all intents and purposes it kills EVERYONE! I don't even know if all "die"(Meaning cease to appear as a living being), but they DO die(Meaning cease to be really viable).

            The really scary thing is that this isn't so much about infected cattle as it is about greedy and/or incompetent ranchers. They KNOW nearly 100% of those infected, or SHOULD! It IS named "mad cow" for a reason. They have trouble standing up straight, act erratically, etc.... It shows up in cows very pronounced and early. Slaughter houses now aren't supposed to process cattle that can't stand up straight.

            Old sheep ranchers, when sheep had the same problems, burned everything, including the sheep. They felt it was contagious. To a degree, they may have been right. Interestingly, they claim that scrapie is TWO steps away from humans so SUPPOSEDLY humans can't get it directly from sheep. Cows are ONE step away and can get it from sheep and give it to humans, so they say. So cows aren't supposed to eat meat byproducts anymore.

            NOW, they claim, that even eating INFECTED cattle is OK as long as you don't get the brain or spinal cord. So they are SUPPOSED to be more careful now in slaughtering the cattle. I don't know if I really want to take that chance.

            Steve
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9253714].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Lance K
          Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

          Cheap? You won't be able to give it away.
          Good...more for me.
          Signature
          "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
          ~ Zig Ziglar
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254723].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
        Originally Posted by Joe Mobley View Post

        Of course any death is unfortunate but if this becomes a broader issue, beef will become very cheap.

        Joe Mobley
        There is almost no chance of it becoming a broader issue. For all we know, these recent cases could have contracted the disease decades ago and we are seeing the tail end. Since then Mad Cow's disease have been effectively controlled. It is a completely man made disease in the first place where cattle were fed feeds containing extracts from sheep or cattle remains.
        Signature

        Do not get between a wombat and a chocolate biscuit; you will regret it dearly!

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254208].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author seasoned
          Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

          There is almost no chance of it becoming a broader issue. For all we know, these recent cases could have contracted the disease decades ago and we are seeing the tail end. Since then Mad Cow's disease have been effectively controlled. It is a completely man made disease in the first place where cattle were fed feeds containing extracts from sheep or cattle remains.
          You're right in that it can be spread that way. They DID supposedly find that cows CAN get it from sheep. And it has been known in sheep for a LOOOOOONG time! But it HAS been in sheep. Apparently it has been in MANY animals. MOST, if not all, are MAMMALS.

          So saying it is 100% man made and 100% from meat byproducts might be a stretch.

          You are right about it taking a long time in humans though.

          Steve
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254367].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
            Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

            You're right in that it can be spread that way. They DID supposedly find that cows CAN get it from sheep. And it has been known in sheep for a LOOOOOONG time! But it HAS been in sheep. Apparently it has been in MANY animals. MOST, if not all, are MAMMALS.

            So saying it is 100% man made and 100% from meat byproducts might be a stretch.

            You are right about it taking a long time in humans though.

            Steve
            There is no certainly that cows got it from sheep. It is possible that they got it from cows in the first place. In theory it is possible that BSE arose spontaneously in a cow whose carcass was recycled as a feed. The reason why I said it was mainly a man-made disease was because it was not a natural route of infection. The disease Kuru spread among humans because some tribes in Papua New Guinea ate the brains of their dead relatives.
            Signature

            Do not get between a wombat and a chocolate biscuit; you will regret it dearly!

            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9255575].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
              I remember a coworker who died from CJ in the later '90's. He had relocated to New York and I believe he had also been overseas. It was particularly sad because he had only been married a few years and had a young toddler daughter. Unfortunately, deterioration and death was quick. Just a very sad ending to a fairly young, very nice man in his early 30's with a beautiful family and great career ahead of him all gone.
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9255679].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
    Banned
    I suffered the agony of Mad Cow for over 5 years - until I divorced her.

    Cheers. - Frank
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9253735].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Why are the cows mad?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254239].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      Why are the cows mad?
      Cattle that were at the end state of the disease behaved in a strange manner. Their brains were turning into sponges and hence the term bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE.

      Disease of this group, which includes scrapie, Kuru and CJD are the strangest in nature. For a start, a protein is completely responsible for the infectious disease. There is absolutely no evidence of any genetic material in the form of DNA or RNA. Moreover, the protein involved is found in the body. We are far from finding out how disease is caused by this infectious protein.
      Signature

      Do not get between a wombat and a chocolate biscuit; you will regret it dearly!

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254251].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author yukon
        Banned
        Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

        Cattle that were at the end state of the disease behaved in a strange manner. Their brains were turning into sponges and hence the term bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE.

        Disease of this group, which includes scrapie, Kuru and CJD are the strangest in nature. For a start, a protein is completely responsible for the infectious disease. There is absolutely no evidence of DNA or RNA. Moreover, the protein involved is found in the body.
        Thanks but I was just playing.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254266].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

        Cattle that were at the end state of the disease behaved in a strange manner. Their brains were turning into sponges and hence the term bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE.

        Disease of this group, which includes scrapie, Kuru and CJD are the strangest in nature. For a start, a protein is completely responsible for the infectious disease. There is absolutely no evidence of any genetic material in the form of DNA or RNA. Moreover, the protein involved is found in the body. We are far from finding out how disease is caused by this infectious protein.
        Yeah, it is weird. There is a special protein called a prion. Prion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The theory sounds about as convoluted as some black hole theories. Supposedly it is VERY similar to like a mirrior of proteins in the brain and causes the connections to basically breakdown. Of course protiens are then absorbed, and it leaves holes in the brain, like a sponge. I doubt there is really anyone that knows precisely why. But apparently it IS due to the prion and prions can survive high temperatures and can kind of replicate in the brain so it doesn't take much, and there is no viable way to get rid of it at this point.

        As for MAD cow disease? I guess the cows COULD act mad, but I think they mean crazy(as in acting SERIOUSLY oddly). They lose a lot of control and any personality would change, so either could be a viable explanation. If you see a cow that seems unsteady, has trouble standing up(though the legs are fine), etc... it might be mad cow. Any other reason would likely improve, but mad cow would just get worse.

        Steve
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254408].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ErinWalsh
    Well, I won't bet on beef prices going down due to this death. If it happens I'll stock up and freeze a good bit. International travel comes with so many hazards that sometimes it seems like it's not worth it. I AM glad to hear he probably got it during his travels and not from the beef here in the USA. I would like to believe that ever since we've been made aware of mad cow disease our ranchers have been responsible about it.
    Signature

    Boost Software teamed up with Neverblue. They helped produce this new affiliate video.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254608].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by ErinWalsh View Post

      Well, I won't bet on beef prices going down due to this death. If it happens I'll stock up and freeze a good bit. International travel comes with so many hazards that sometimes it seems like it's not worth it. I AM glad to hear he probably got it during his travels and not from the beef here in the USA. I would like to believe that ever since we've been made aware of mad cow disease our ranchers have been responsible about it.
      Well, other countries know about it ALSO! They used to even, and may still, ban people that have gone to europe in the past 10 years or so from donating blood!

      From red cross today:
      Persons who have spent long periods of time in countries where "mad cow disease" is found are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (vCJD). Learn more about vCJD and blood donation.
      Steve
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9254662].message }}

Trending Topics