With evidence of recent outbreaks and species jumping of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), which is responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (the prion induced human analog), I foresee massive lawsuits against bovine and ovine feed manufacturers.
It has more recently been a practice to grind up old animal carcasses and incorporate that into feedstock as a protein supplement. Since bovine and ovine cannibalism are exceptionally rare (if not nonexistent), the appearance of BSE may well be able to be traced back to introduction of brain matter into feed as a major source of this problem. It has already been shown that the earliest forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease manifested in New Guinea head hunters as kuru.
I find it highly suspicious that the current outbreaks of BSE and Scrapie are now happening after prolonged feeding of stock animals on quasi-cannibalistic feeds. In addition, there is now the beginnings of a CJD epidemic in deer hunters due to the aforementioned species jumping. Mad cow disease or BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) has been detected in deer and elk herds (in the form of Chronic Wasting Disease) from Virginia to Colorado. Hunters who regularly consume venison have been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is the prion induced encephalopathy in humans.
Here is a good site and an excerpt:
[SUP]EMPHASIS ADDED[/SUP]
While the above cite mentions other transmission routes, I do not see it as eliminating culpability on the part of feed manufacturers. Sheep and cows do not eat each other on a regular basis. It is fairly easy to assume that there might be transmission of heretofore unknown pathogens by having provided a brand new vector via same-species protein laced feeds. Such unorthodox methods present a huge potential for exactly these sort of contamination issues. It is also quite probable that animal carcasses unfit for human consumption were routinely diverted into the grinders for these same feed supplies. Knowingly utilizing unhealthy sources of ingredients prepresents a substantial form of liability and I expect to see more and more data confirming this.
If others have information or cites concerning the use of animal byproducts in stockyard feeds, it would be appreciated.
Here is a good British article on the expected human death toll. I feel that the United States needs to mount a massive campaign to combat what might become a long term epidemic nearly on a par with HIV and AIDS.
I also foresee massive lawsuits against American feed manufacturers who permitted ground animal matter to be included in bovine and ovine animal feed. Below is a paper I wrote for aloha aloha some while ago on this exact topic. Although it contains unrelated material on WNV (West Nile Virus) epidemiology, a lot of it pertains to a potential CJD epidemic.
Trans-Species Animal Vector Monitoring Program
August 12, 2002
Scope:
Reliable detection and mitigation of certain species vectored viral and plasmid agents.
Purpose:
Detection, prevention and remediation of West Nile Virus and CJD related outbreaks.
Method:
In vivo monitoring via captive stations and radio collar or tagged animal tracking.
Priority:
Absolutely critical due to extremely delayed onset of CJD analog illnesses and high mortality rates for the West Nile virus.
Analysis:
The westward migration of the West Nile Virus and recent inferences of potential CJD species jumping from bovines to other ruminants mandate the most aggressive campaign of early detection and abatement possible.
Distinct programs are required to canvass existing stocks plus wild populations of cattle and deer. Additional indicator species must be monitored through fixed locale stations, random sampling and correlated inferences from statistical populations elsewhere.
Enormous penalties await even the least hesitation regarding this issue. Delayed onset increases downstream fatalities by entirely unacceptable orders of magnitude.
Implications: Reuse of slaughter byproducts for animal feed purposes must cease instantly. Huge liabilities await major meat packers for reintroduction of non-normal feed products into the human food chain. Bovine cannibalism is statistically insignificant and cannot mitigate any culpability for intentional feedstock reuse of slaughter byproducts. (Competent farmers and ranchers are justifiably averse to leaving herds in contact with fresh or rotting carcasses, let alone allowing their consumption by stock.)
Large-scale feral eradication programs may be required. Massive sampling surveys combined with contraceptive bait represent a less intrusive method but infected populations must be inhibited regardless. Development and testing cycles for appreciably low-impact remediation may well exceed allowable time constraints in order to achieve valid prophylaxis. Public safety far outweighs nearly all environmental impact issues.
All interception of unobserved or previously deceased deer and cattle must be treated as hazardous waste. Indiscriminate and casual disposal of such carcasses must be prohibited and incineration via fixed and mobile units must be implemented. Suspect remains shall undergo routine biological screening. Federally sponsored development of rapid genomic assay methods must be brought online.
Local animal control organizations face potentially inhibiting diversion of finances to cope with implementation and ongoing monitoring. Federal assistance will be necessary to account for this shortfall.
Solutions:
Periodic monitoring of regional livestock populations must be combined with feral cattle and wild deer tagging and tracking programs. Captive specimens of indicator species must be stationed at all known vector concentrations. Control groups of these indicator stocks must be maintained to correctly assay exposure and infection rates.
Recreational deer hunting may need to be restricted or eliminated in favor of professional thinning. Exposure of wild deer populations via the escape of wounded targets back into the wild poses a significant threat. Mandatory submission for bioassay of samples from carcasses brought to independent game processors may be required.
Medical profiling of all licensed recreational deer hunters might be able to provide early warning and detection of human exposure to CJD analogs. This could also be extended to staff involved in commercial venison farming as well. Routine monitoring of commercial deer stocks that might serve as an alternative control group or indicator could be useful.
Close collaboration with the CDC and other academic institutions will serve to distribute labor intensive data tracking duties and provide secondary verification of findings. A national database for all findings must be assembled to support these efforts.
Summary: The prolonged incubation cycle of prion induced CJD analogs puts this problem on a par with the AIDS epidemic. While prion exposure routes are more limited than those of HIV this is offset by the two-pronged assault presented by the West Nile Virus. Both epidemics demand extremely similar detection and abatement methodologies. The shared requirements for rapid genomic assay, large scale in vivo canvassing and tracking, an extensive control group population and intensive data mining make it vital that both of these programs be executed in tandem. Dual use application of advanced technology otherwise unaffordable to either program individually could overcome critical gating issues faced by these separate efforts.
Outside-in modes of planning and containment will yield synergistic efficacy vital to any remote hope for enhanced results. Standard methods of abatement will neither yield sufficient chance of success nor any potential to supersede goals anticipated via typical ongoing implementation. Combined effort is required to achieve even minimal odds of breakthrough technology or truly effective monitoring and remediation.
Extreme methods may be required to contain high-density outbreaks, especially dual epidemiology events. Correlative modeling against forestry burn risk data may indicate use of high-rate controlled burns to simultaneously abate infected populations and understory overgrowth. Anticipated fuel-air bombing combined with pinpoint napalm attacks might prove useful towards the simultaneous elimination of infected herds and carrier mosquito outbreaks in areas of dense understory already in need of a controlled burn. Purposeful containment of wildlife within the burn site may provide a highly effective disposal route.
