Mad Cow Disease In New Jersey?

[Wonk]

(CBS) New Jersey's Janet Skarbek may very well be the next Erin Brockovich.

This mother and author from claims to have uncovered a cluster of people who died from mad cow disease in Cherry Hill. The state says she's wrong. But one thing is certain - Janet Skarbek is stirring up quite a bit of controversy, reports The Early Show correspondent Melinda Murphy.

(snip)

She says, “In the first paragraph, it said she died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. And I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that's what Carrie died of.’ And in the second paragraph it said she worked at the Garden State Racetrack."

Which is also where Carrie Mahan had worked for years, along with Skarbek's own mother.

(snip)

Skarbek says, “Right now, I'm up to 12 confirmed cases of CJD, where it says CJD on their death certificates and where they all ate at the racetrack.”

more...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/28/earlyshow/contributors/melindamurphy/main614154.shtml

[Ruby Romaine]

1. is this related to mad cowboy disease?

[MissMarple]

2. Mad cow and CJD have the same symptoms. And I think CJD involves

prions as well, but I'm not certain.

Here's something from the CDC:

<Is BSE a foodborne hazard in the United States?
Strong evidence indicates that BSE has been transmitted to humans primarily in the United Kingdom, causing a variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). In the United Kingdom, where over 1 million cattle may have been infected with BSE, a substantial species barrier appears to protect humans from widespread illness. As of December 1, 2003, a total of 153 vCJD cases had been reported worldwide; of these, 143 cases had occurred in the United Kingdom. The risk to human health from BSE in the United States is extremely low.>


<What is the variant form of CJD that the experts in the United Kingdom believe might be related to the BSE outbreak in cattle?
In contrast to the classic form of CJD, the variant form in the United Kingdom predominantly affects younger persons (median age at death around 29 years) and has atypical clinical features. These atypical features include prominent psychiatric or sensory symptoms at the time of clinical presentation or early in the course of the illness, delayed onset of neurologic abnormalities, duration of illness of at least 6 months, and a diffusely abnormal non-diagnostic electroencephalogram.>

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

[progressiveBadger]

3. Yes

You see, Mad Cowboy's Disease, cause unknown, makes the infected person lose their sense of reality. It begins with an abnormal disregard for human life over profits. This manifests itself most notably in beef industry lobbyists who fight to stop testing for Mad Cow's disease.

[MissMarple]

4. Also , all hat and no cattle cowboys.

Who oddly enough are only interested in oil and shooting guns in overseas locations.:D