Prion disease spreads in sheep via mother's milk
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 - 23:31
in Biology & Nature
Transmission of prion brain diseases such as bovine spongiform enecephalopathy (BSE) -- also known as mad cow disease -- and human variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is generally attributed to the consumption of the brain or organ meat of infected animals but new research demonstrates lambs exposed to milk from prion-infected sheep with inflamed mammary glands can develop prion disease as well. The research has major implications for human and livestock health.