spongiform encephalopathy

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spon·gi·form en·ceph·a·lop·a·thy

an encephalopathy characterized by vacuolation within nerve and glial cells.

spongiform encephalopathy

Any of a group of degenerative diseases of the brain characterized by the progressive formation of vacuoles in the cells of the cerebral cortex.

spon·gi·form en·ceph·a·lop·a·thy

(spŏn'ji-fōrm en-sef'a-lop'ă-thē)

An encephalopathy characterized by vacuolation within nerve and glial cells.

spongiform encephalopathy

One of a number of diseases of the nervous system featuring spongy degeneration of the grey matter of the brain, loss of nerve cells and overgrowth of the brain connective tissue cells (astrocytes). The effects are severe loss of function and death. These diseases are associated with an abnormal cellular inclusion called a prion and which can be diagnosed by locating specific defects within the prion gene. See also CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE and KURU.

spongiform

resembling a sponge.

spongiform encephalopathy

a disease of the brain having the microscopic appearance of a sponge. The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) of animals and humans are Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in humans and its variant, Gertstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease in humans, kuru, fatal familial insomnia of humans, scrapie in sheep, goats and moufflon, transmissible encephalopathy of mink, chronic wasting disease of deer and elk, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), TSE of zoo ungulates, and feline spongiform encephalopathy. See also bovine spongiform encephalopathy, feline spongiform encephalopathy.

References in periodicals archive ?

Evaluation of the human transmission risk of an atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy prion strain.

Oral transmission of L-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy in primate model

Subacute spongiform encephalopathy (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease).

Hearing loss as the initial presentation of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Professor Peter Smith, chair of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, said, ``What this report shows is that mechanically recovered meat went into a variety of products, predominantly cheap burgers and cheap mince - products to which a high proportion of the population may have been exposed.

BSE-risk in beef `existed for 15 years'

Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of our woes with spongiform encephalopathy in all its forms -- including canine and feline.

`Mad Pet Disease': Is the US Next?

While there is no proof such individuals can then spread the illness through their blood, the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee called the new blood donor ban a prudent step, given the escalating crisis in Europe, as the disease continues to spread.

Stricter rules for blood, tissue donors needed as caution against outbreak of mad cow disease in US-FDA panel

BSE is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) in cattle, which was first identified in the United Kingdom in 1986.

World Health Organization consultation on public health issues related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and the emergence of a new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

The link between cattle that are too sick or injured to stand or walk, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) has been clearly established," Marler said.

William D. Marler, Food Safety Attorney, Calls for CDC Long-term Study of Nation's School Children and Congressional Hearings on Safety of United States Beef Supply

Transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to sheep and goats.

Molecular discrimination of sheep bovine spongiform encephalopathy from scrapie

The EU Court of First Instance has temporarily suspended the regulation adopted by the European Commission in June 2007 easing the animal health measures applicable to ovine and caprine flocks in which a case of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) has been detected.

ANIMAL HEALTH : CFI SUSPENDS REGULATION EASING TSE MEASURES

The ban on so-called "downer" cows is designed to protect the food supply against beef coming from cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.

USDA issues new mad cow disease rule

Yes, only 1 cow out of the 20,000 tested has been discovered to have bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Cow punchers

Cotman's team and others have also found that ADDLs are similar in size and shape to prions, molecules that have been linked to the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ("mad cow disease") and other neurodegenerative diseases.