Biopolymers and cell. 1999; 15 (2): 93 - 102

Bovine Spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) — mad cow disease

P. Campbell

The background to the epidemic of BSE among cattle in the United Kingdom is described as are the possible origins of the disease and its relationship to scrapie in sheep. Although the epidemic in cattle is virtually over there is evidence of the transmission of the infectious agent to humans to produce a new variant of Creutzfeld-Ja/cob disease. The current status of our understanding of the molecular biology of the infectious agent is described as is the evidence in support of the protein, only, prion, hypothesis. Study of the glycoforms of the prions supports the view that BSE has been transmitted to humans.