Mad Cow Disease Found in US Cow By ‘Stroke of Luck’
Somewhat terrifyingly, the cow found in California that tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as “mad cow disease,” was located through what officials say was a “stroke of luck.”
The United States has never seen an outbreak of mad cow disease in humans, but in the 90’s, nearly 150 people in the UK were sickened, developing the deadly prion disease known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or vCJD. Mad cow disease has since been a lurking concern given the size and scope of the US food chain and the way foods are distributed in the states.
More alarmingly, the cow infected with mad cow disease was only discovered through random testing, and Baker Commodities EVP Dennis Luckey told press the animal “showed no signs” of disease. Luckey explains:
“We randomly pick a number of samples throughout the year, and this just happened to be one that we randomly sampled.”
Three other cases of BSE have been confirmed in the US in recent years.
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About the Author
Kim LaCapria Kim LaCapria is a writer and editor based in New York. A longtime information junkie, she began blogging full-time at the Inquisitr in 2009. Prior to that, she worked as a marketing assistant in the cosmetics and skincare industry. In addition to her writing for fortytwotimes, she also writes for Medacity and The Inquisitr. Kim is also a contributor for SocialNewsDaily, Indyposted, and TotallyMoney. In the past, she contributed to Lipstick and Luxury and managed social media accounts and blogs for several small and mid-sized businesses.
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