Mad Cow Disease Might Linger Longer

Science News ^ | 7-15-2006 | Nathan Seppa

[blam]

Week of July 15, 2006; Vol. 170, No. 3 , p. 45

Mad cow disease might linger longer

Nathan Seppa

A rare but deadly human illness spread by cannibalism has an incubation period in some individuals of about 4 decades, researchers in New Guinea have discovered. The finding implies that a related human illness caused by eating beef from cattle with mad cow disease could also lie dormant for many years.

HEADS UP. The box shows the area in New Guinea where until the 1950s, people practiced cannibalism, a ritual that spread the prion disease kuru. S. Norcross

Scientists have identified a handful of diseases caused by misfolded proteins called prions, including mad cow disease, scrapie in sheep, and chronic wasting disease in deer and elk. In people, eating contaminated beef can cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Like the other prion diseases, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease kills brain cells and is fatal.

The only other known prion disease in people is kuru, found in members of New Guinea tribes who at one time practiced ritual cannibalism that included eating human brains.

Cannibalism was banned in the late 1950s in New Guinea, and no one born after 1959 has contracted kuru, say authorities there.

Nevertheless, a study by John Collinge of University College London and his colleagues has found that some older people have come down with the disease in just the past decade. Between 1996 and 2004, the researchers identified 11 people living in the affected areas who had developed kuru. All were born before 1950. The scientists calculate that the minimum incubation time for the disease in these cases was between 34 and 41 years. The study appears in the June 24 Lancet.

On the basis of these findings, the authors say that an incubation period of 30 years or more for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease caused by tainted beef is "possible, if not probable."

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[stylin19a]

I wonder what would happen if you got bit by a mosquito that had bit a bird that had avian flu, of which said bird ate poop from a cow with mad cow disease ?

[DannyTN]

Dang, that means I could be 80 when it starts. And I'll be too senile to realize it.

[Normal4me]

I got that listed as #46 to worry about. Is oral sex considered cannibalism? I might have to move it to #6. ;-)

[cripplecreek]

I just saw something about Kuru and CJD on the history channel. Interestingly enough is the fact that about half the world has some immunity.

[Normal4me]

You would have died yesterday. ;-)

[blam]

"Interestingly enough is the fact that about half the world has some immunity."

An indicator that it was probably widespread and endemic at one time. I wonder what affect it may have had on ancient populations?

[Generalbob]

More Hillary?

eh gads!

[blam]

"I wonder what would happen if you got bit by a mosquito that had bit a bird that had avian flu, of which said bird ate poop from a cow with mad cow disease ?"

Probably get an itchy spot where the mosquito bit you.

There is no data that BF or MCD is transmitted by mosquitos. I'd be more concerned about EEE and West Nile Virus from mosquitos.

[cripplecreek]

The fact that some immunity exists seems to indicate that canibalism must have been fairly common at some point. You don't get immunity without exposure.

[blam]

"The fact that some immunity exists seems to indicate that canibalism must have been fairly common at some point. You don't get immunity without exposure."

I was thinking more about it being in the wild animal herds that were hunted. But, perhaps cannabilism?

[cripplecreek]

The show I was watching today pointed to evidence of cannibalism in prehistoric Europe but it could have also been passed to humans who ate apes I suppose.