Not forgetting mad cows

2004/12/12 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Albaitaritza
• Mikrobiologia
• Medikuntza

Crazy, cows?

The mad cow crisis was especially severe in Britain. There the problem began and more affected cows died there. In humans it was also there that more cases appeared, and almost all the deaths from the disease were from there, as were the last two diagnosed patients. But in this case there is something to highlight: doctors believe they have been contaminated by blood transfusions.

Before he hunted with sick beef. In cows it was called “mad cow disease” because the most striking symptoms are neurological: sick cows lose coordination and have an aggressive attitude. It is surprising that cows do so, but it is not enough to provoke a terrible international crisis. The crisis arose as humans became ill by eating meat from these cows.

Rare disease version

In 1996, the death of four people was announced because of the new version of Creutzfeld-Jakob syndrome, a disease derived from eating meat with mad cow disease. It was shown to be transmitted to humans. The disease it caused in humans resembled another, Creutzfeld-Jakob syndrome, which is why it is said to be its version. The syndrome is very rare, few cases appear and is genetic. The way to get infected would be to ingest patients' brains, something unusual.

Beef has already lost fear.

In any case, then the people of kuru were reminded. This disease, also known as ‘lethal laughter’, was first diagnosed in New Guinea in 1957. The indigenous fores were cannibals and in the rites they ate brains, especially of women, who were sacred. This was how bad healing was transmitted, whose most remarkable characteristic was the laughter of dementia.

Mad cow disease and the new version of Creutzfeld-Jakob syndrome belong to the same family as curu, and have many similarities, but they do not cause laughter. When the disease crossed the border of the species, measures were taken so that no one could be infected. It was not easy to diagnose sick cows because years have passed since it spread until the first symptoms appear. Therefore, it was important to perform an appropriate test to detect the cause of the disease, the prions.

The cattle test and control system were prepared as soon as possible, but it was not enough to curb the distrust environment, people did not trust beef and sold more fish, chicken and pork than ever. Nobody could forget those terrible images: In 1992 in Britain 37,000 cows were killed and eliminated.

Man for man, wolf

Development of a new method of sterilization of surgical equipment.

Over time it has been shown that this control system is effective and that the meat we eat is completely safe. Consequently, people have lost fear of beef and now it is sold as much as before the crisis.

However, the problem is not over. In those years, before the crisis, many people ate contaminated beef and now do not know how many men and women are infected. In addition, the disease screening test is not completely rigorous and below a certain number of prions gives negative, although there are prions in blood.

The risk is there: although the diagnosis is negative, there may be prions and contagion by blood transfusion or intervention. Two systems have recently been developed to prevent them.

On the one hand, the company Pall has invented a filter to eliminate prions in blood. Virus removal systems in blood, bacteria and other pathogens do not destroy prions. These systems target DNA or RNA, and prions are proteins and do not contain genetic material, so they escape. This filter removes all prions.

Blood transfusion is a way of contagion.

On the other hand, a sterilization technique has been invented for the devices used in the operations. Although at first they did not realize, there are prions in the muscles, so it is essential to sterilize surgical devices. Temperature and pressure are normally used for sterilization, but the prions do not disappear.

The electrical current is used in the technique they now propose. The production of a low electrical current on the surface of the tool results in a series of chemical reactions. These chemical reactions form highly reactive particles with oxygen, capable of eliminating all organic matter, including prions.

All these measures aim to avoid all risks. It should be noted that to date 154 people have died as a result of the new version of Creutzfeld-Jakob syndrome. No more, that is the desire and the goal.

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