Mad Cow Disease
Mad cow disease is a brain disorder caused by prion infection (abnormal protein in cattle). Prions are found in many parts of the animal's body, such as the brain, eyes, and spinal cord. If it has invaded the brain, prions will develop and damage the nervous system.
In medicine, mad cow disease in cattle is called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). While in humans, this disease is known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and occurs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a serious brain disorder that can cause fatal effects, including death. Symptoms of this disease are generally similar to dementia, Alzheimer's disease and other brain disorders, but this infection is more aggressive and worsens in a short time.
Mad cow disease is relatively rare and rare. According to research, this disease attacks one in one million people per year and is found in many adults.
In general, there are four types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), namely:
Symptoms of mad cow disease
Most people with mad cow disease die within one year after the onset of symptoms. In general, mad cow disease is characterized by the appearance of several symptoms below:
If left untreated, mad cow disease can cause brain complications. If this happens, someone will have difficulty thinking, remembering, isolating themselves from friends and family, and generally not knowing themselves. The most serious, this disease can cause death.
Causes of mad cow disease
It is still unclear what causes the conversion of normal protein to prion protein, which can occur in the brain, small intestine or spinal cord of cattle. This disease can be transmitted from one animal to another or even to humans.
Mad cow disease is transmitted when infected animals are slaughtered. Body parts of infected animals are used for animal feed or human consumption. In other words, a person is at risk of contracting mad cow disease if they eat part of the brain and spine of an infected animal.
Although the exact cause is unknown, genetic and age factors are thought to increase the risk of mad cow disease. Someone with a family CJD can reduce this condition to heredity. In terms of age, people over 60 years are more likely to experience sporadic CJD.
Diagnosis of mad cow disease
Mad cow disease claims are based on changes in symptoms and medical history of the patient. The only way to know for sure whether someone has mad cow disease is to do an autopsy brain biopsy, which is done if the patient has died.
However, various diagnostic procedures can help diagnose this condition, including:
Treatment of mad cow disease
There is no specific effective treatment for mad cow disease. A number of drugs have been studied, but there is no real impact on healing this disease. Antiviral and antibiotic treatments do not have a positive effect on the patient's condition.
Treatment that can be given is medication or medical treatment to relieve symptoms that appear in patients. For example, administration of antidepressants to alleviate psychological disorders or administration of clonazepam and sodium valproate to relieve muscle cramps.
Prevention of mad cow disease
Mad cow disease often occurs spontaneously, making prevention difficult. Sterilization to prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading throughout the body is also ineffective. However, several efforts can be made to reduce the risk of transmission of mad cow disease, including:
In medicine, mad cow disease in cattle is called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). While in humans, this disease is known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and occurs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Mad cow disease is relatively rare and rare. According to research, this disease attacks one in one million people per year and is found in many adults.
In general, there are four types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), namely:
- Sporadic CJD. This type of mad cow disease is the most common. The disorder arises as a modification of brain proteins into abnormal proteins called prions. The cause is not known with certainty. Most of these diseases occur in adults aged 45 to 75 years. Symptoms begin to develop between the ages of 60 and 65 years.
- Variant of CJD (vCJD). Caused by consumption of meat infected with mad cow disease containing prions. The incubation period for this type of mad cow disease is very long, can exceed 10 years.
- CJD family. This type of mad cow disease is the most rarely found. Someone who suffers from this disorder because it is transmitted in the family. This species attacks each of the nine million inhabitants of the world.
- Iatrogenic CJD. Accidentally transmitted by medical procedures such as drugs and surgical procedures. A number of medical equipment that is not sterile can be a means of transmission of mad cow disease.
Symptoms of mad cow disease
Most people with mad cow disease die within one year after the onset of symptoms. In general, mad cow disease is characterized by the appearance of several symptoms below:
- Altered memory and other brain functions.
- Personality change.
- Balance changed.
- Talk is unclear and vision is impaired.
- Direct psychological disorders such as anxiety, anxiety.
- Some parts of the body are tickled and have difficulty moving.
- Living insomnia, dementia, and possibly continued coma.
If left untreated, mad cow disease can cause brain complications. If this happens, someone will have difficulty thinking, remembering, isolating themselves from friends and family, and generally not knowing themselves. The most serious, this disease can cause death.
Causes of mad cow disease
It is still unclear what causes the conversion of normal protein to prion protein, which can occur in the brain, small intestine or spinal cord of cattle. This disease can be transmitted from one animal to another or even to humans.
Mad cow disease is transmitted when infected animals are slaughtered. Body parts of infected animals are used for animal feed or human consumption. In other words, a person is at risk of contracting mad cow disease if they eat part of the brain and spine of an infected animal.
Although the exact cause is unknown, genetic and age factors are thought to increase the risk of mad cow disease. Someone with a family CJD can reduce this condition to heredity. In terms of age, people over 60 years are more likely to experience sporadic CJD.
Diagnosis of mad cow disease
Mad cow disease claims are based on changes in symptoms and medical history of the patient. The only way to know for sure whether someone has mad cow disease is to do an autopsy brain biopsy, which is done if the patient has died.
However, various diagnostic procedures can help diagnose this condition, including:
- Neurological examination. In the early stages, neurologists will investigate the possibility of other diseases with the same symptoms, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or brain tumors.
- Electroencephalogram (EEG). Record brain activity and help detect abnormal electrical activity in people with sporadic CJD.
- MRI. Use radio waves and magnetic fields to get a detailed picture of the patient's brain state.
- Lumbar puncture Take a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from the patient's spinal area for further investigation.
- Genetic examination. Blood tests are done to detect potential mutations in genes and ascertain heredity.
- Tonsillar biopsy. Tonsil tissue sampling to see the possibility of prions in the tonsils of patients with CJD variants.
Treatment of mad cow disease
There is no specific effective treatment for mad cow disease. A number of drugs have been studied, but there is no real impact on healing this disease. Antiviral and antibiotic treatments do not have a positive effect on the patient's condition.
Treatment that can be given is medication or medical treatment to relieve symptoms that appear in patients. For example, administration of antidepressants to alleviate psychological disorders or administration of clonazepam and sodium valproate to relieve muscle cramps.
Prevention of mad cow disease
Mad cow disease often occurs spontaneously, making prevention difficult. Sterilization to prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading throughout the body is also ineffective. However, several efforts can be made to reduce the risk of transmission of mad cow disease, including:
- Eliminate the source of infection. One way to minimize the spread of mad cow disease is to destroy the carcasses of meat that can transmit the disease to humans and other animals.
- Transfer blood safely. People who are at risk of contracting mad cow disease are prohibited from donating blood to reduce the risk of transmission.
- Limit imported meat. Meat imported specifically from countries affected by mad cow disease, such as England, Scotland and Ireland.
- Livestock control. Starting with the control of animal feed, treatment of sick animals, and restrictions on consumption of livestock that can contract and transmit mad cow disease.
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