What Is Mad Cow Disease?
9. How Long Has Mad Cow Disease Been a Concern?
BSE has been a cause of worry since 1986. This was when the first case of the infection cropped up. Concerns grew until 1993, when BSE infections reached its peak in the U.K., causing nearly 1,000 newly reported cases every week.
A new wave of concern hit in 1996, when researchers first made the connection between Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Though frightening to think that humans can contract BSE, the risk remains minimal in the U.S. due to strict safety measures and continuing research.
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