Notion of cow-human transmission is tenous?

[Dimsdale]

The following opinion appears to be another chapter in the "junk science" tale often foisted on us by those who've something to gain by lying about or distorting conclusions drawn from good science.

Notion of cow-human transmission is tenous.
Steven Milloy (Cato Institute)

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/7640495.htm

The "mad cow" disease diagnosed in a U.S. cow has set off a new round of predictable, but groundless, panic.


Foreign governments promptly banned imports of U.S. beef. Investors dumped the stocks of beef-related companies. And, of course, what health scare would be complete without hyperventilating calls for even more government oversight of an already highly regulated industry?


Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE - commonly called mad cow disease - is a neurological disease in cattle. But the notion that people can contract a human form of mad cow by eating beef from infected cattle is more bun than burger.

snip

Although laboratory testing seemed to indicate that BSE and variant CJD were similar, no one could determine with certainty whether and how the BSE epidemic was related to the "human mad cow" cases.

more..

A quick Google turned up this link. The excerpt appears to refute the "more bun than burger" arguement.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cjd/bse_cjd_qa.htm

Is there evidence directly linking this newly recognized variant of CJD to BSE exposure?
There is strong epidemiologic and laboratory evidence for a causal association between variant CJD and BSE. The absence of confirmed cases of variant CJD in other geographic areas free of BSE supports a causal association.


In addition, the interval between the most likely period for the initial extended exposure of the population to potentially BSE-contaminated food (1984-1986) and onset of initial variant CJD cases (1994-1996) is consistent with known incubation periods for CJD.


An experimental study reported in June 1996 showed that three cynomologus macaque monkeys inoculated with brain tissue obtained from cattle with BSE had clinical and neuropathological features strikingly similar to those of variant CJD (Nature 1996;381:743-4).

Note: Milloy maintains junkscience.com. I didn't go there. I wouldn't expect to find much there worth reading.

[papau]

1. Milloy & junkscience.com are GOP lobbyist liars

In the 90 Milloy went to court over being called a lobbyist for the GOP/CORPORATE world - and the Court ruled he was such a lobbyist and since truth is a defense - he lost.


He has a degree in "General Science" and took some post grad courses is Statistics. His articles on junkscience.com are press releases from the Corporations and their consultants. He was featured on Fox News until even Roger had had enough of the embarrassment. However I expect him to still pop up on Fox, knowing Roger!

L-)

[theoceansnerves]

2. heh

junkscience.com is so hilariously bad.

[yellowcanine]

3. Who is Milloy and what are his scientific credentials?

Let me guess - he is an economist who likes to analyze scientific problems without actually going to the trouble of getting the training needed to understand the science involved.

[hatrack]

4. Tell that to the 143 victims and their families reported to date in Europe

Milloy is John Stossel without the oleaginous TV smarm, and just about as stupidly ideological.