BSE Questions to SH , cowsense, Porker, etc.

[cedardell]

Recently reader the second posted the report from UK meeting of health officials saying that vCJD had been transmitted in several cases between humans by blood transfusions. The report claimed that it would be necessary to test all blood donated for surgical use to screen it for BSE prions. Unless this post is a hoax it is proof that the prions are carried in the blood. I'm not very good with a computer, but I'm going to try and find it in the archives. If I can find it you can read it for yourselves. The way I look at it unless you can prove this report is not true somehow, then you have to believe that the prions are carried in the blood and that the safety net is flawed and lacking. If this is true then it would almost be a necessity to test every animal. I don't really see how the prions could not be carried in the blood. If the cow eats them how in the hell to they get from the stomach to the brain? Do they somehow mysteriously just appear there? This is a big deal and it's a recent discovery.

 

[Tam]

Were these people vegetarians so there was no way they could have contracted the disease by eating beef themselves. How do they know it was the blood. If these two people ate beef in the UK in the last ten to twenty years they could have gotten it by eating beef.

 

[Anonymous]

I am not in a position to either confirm or denounce this theory.

At this point, I am going to trust the research that USDA and the OIE has trusted and not the "POLITICALLY MOTIVATED" theories to the contrary that have not been proven.

Unfortunately, those who want to keep the Canadian border closed to live cattle will sink their teeth into any unproven theory that contradicts the OIE and USDA's research.


~SH~

 

[mwj]

Were these people vegetarians so there was no way they could have contracted the disease by eating beef themselves. How do they know it was the blood. If these two people ate beef in the UK in the last ten to twenty years they could have gotten it by eating beef.

Tam - I'm sorry to say it but you are not thinking rationally. The experts thought about this possibility for a day or two and dismissed it. Did you study statistics or any science?

What would be the logical obvious reason for them to easily dismiss it in a day or two?

 

[Tully]

I f you go to donate blood in Australia all donors are asked if they were resident in the Uk/Europe prior to a certain date , if the answer is yes then the donor is prevented from giving blood.
regards
Tully

 

[cedardell]

What is the original cause of the folding prions. We need to know whether the problem is going to be contained or whether it is just getting started. If you look at the increase in CWD it sends shivers down my spine. Maybe someone could tell me why BSE is any different than CWD. I realize it's a different protein, but couldn't the root cause for the folding be the same?

 

[cedardell]

I wish we could forget the border issue for long enough to look at the BSE issue as a health issue rationally. This is important for both US and Canadians. Both of us have CWD and it's getting worse. Everyone says it's no threat and I'm paranoid. What then if everyone is wrong?

 

[cowsense]

Like ~SH~ I am not qualified to comment on reader 2nd's post . The most recent research I have heard was just recently and it stated definately that BSE prions are nonexistent in blood outside of artificially induced studies with mice. My biggest concern with these discussions is the alarmist message being sent out to the consumer. As an industry we cannot afford to lose customer confidence: the BSE issue is playing right into the hands of the anti-meat activists and others with ulterior motives! I definately feel that the only proper route is to follow the OIE protocols as they are working in Europe. The actual number of BSE cases are dropping rapidly as are vCJD cases!