This concern has increased recently because of continued spread of the disease on the European continent the development of a similar disease that has appeared in people, mostly in the U.K., but also on the European continent. They are also called prion diseases because of the abnormal deposition of proteins called prions in the brain and central nervous system. Deposition of large amounts of prion proteins is common to the various TSE diseases found in man and animals. In the TSEs, however, the proteins are deposited in large amounts and are not broken down and removed.
Death is the inevitable outcome of all TSEs.
Symptoms vary depending on the specific TSE disease and the animal species involved. They include incoordination, dementia, itching, belligerence, dramatic weight loss, and death. Unlike viruses, bacteria, and all animals and plants, prions contain no genetic material, yet they can sometimes be transmitted from animal to animal, at least under the right conditions. Although there is still some debate, most research scientists believe that prion proteins are ingested and transvers internal nerves to the brain. The eventual result is one of the prion diseases.