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The origin of bovine spongiform encephalopathy: the human prion disease hypothesis

Colchester, Alan C. F., Colchester, N.T.H. (2005) The origin of bovine spongiform encephalopathy: the human prion disease hypothesis. Lancet, 366 (9488). pp. 856-861. ISSN 0140-6736. (doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)67218-2) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:12076)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(05)67218-2

Abstract

The cause of the original case or cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) remains an enigma. Sheep scrapie or a previously undetected sporadic bovine transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) have long been considered as candidates, but no convincing evidence to support these proposals has come to light. We present a new theory, with three related hypotheses: (1) that BSE was acquired from a human TSE (prion disease); (2) that the route of infection was oral, through animal feed containing imported mammalian raw materials contaminated with human remains; and (3) that the origin was the Indian subcontinent, from which large amounts of mammalian material were imported during the relevant time period. Human remains are known to be incorporated into meal made locally, and may still be entering exported material. Further investigations are needed into the sources of animal by-products used in animal feed manufacture, and into the the transmissibility of human TSEs to cattle.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/s0140-6736(05)67218-2
Uncontrolled keywords: Creutzfeldt-Jakob-Disease Variant Cjd BSE TRANSMISSION SCRAPIE EPIDEMIOLOGY PROTEIN CATTLE VCJD
Subjects: R Medicine
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Depositing User: M.P. Stone
Date Deposited: 05 Sep 2008 21:36 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2023 11:30 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/12076 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Colchester, Alan C. F..

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