Clinical findings in 78 suspected cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Great Britain

Abstract

The clinical findings in 59 cows with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) were compared with those in 19 cattle that were submitted as BSE suspects but not confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Both groups were also compared with a control group of 20 healthy cows. Abnormalities in behaviour, temperament, mental status and activity, neurogenic disorders of gait and hyperreactivity to touch were frequently observed in the cattle with BSE. Not every animal with BSE displayed clinical signs in all these categories, and the severity of the signs was not always useful for differentiating them from the BSE suspects that were not confirmed by pathology. The neurological examination was better than passive observations for the clinical diagnosis of BSE. Tests of the animals' responses to sudden auditory, visual and tactile stimuli were very useful for distinguishing cases of BSE from unconfirmed BSE suspects if the cases did not display signs in all the categories.

A comparative study of modified confirmatory techniques and additional immuno-based methods for non-conclusive autolytic Bovine spongiform encephalopathy cases

“…PrPsc detection is possible due to its partial resistance to proteinase K digestion and shows a characteristic glycoform pattern by applying Western blotting techniques. PrPsc deposits appear along with neuronal loss and gliosis, even prior to the clinical symptoms [7] which mainly consist of apprehension or aggressive behavior, ataxia, trouble standing up, decreased milk production and weight loss [8]. …”

Diagnosis of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies in Animals: A Review

“…Clinical signs of disease include behavioral abnormalities, hyper-reactivity, apprehension, gait abnormalities, weakness, loss of body condition, and recumbency. 50 Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is transmitted by the dietary route. Evidence of horizontal or vertical transmission has not been identified; nonetheless, there is an increased risk for BSE in the offspring of clinical cases.…”

Neurobehavioral Testing in Prion Disease Studies

“…During this early phase, specific tests used to elicit hyperesthesia include: (1) the "flash test" (reactivity to a camera flash), (2) the "clipboard test" (reactivity to waving a clipboard towards the animal, (3) the "hand clap" (reactivity to clapping hands), and (4) the "stick test" (reactivity to a light touch of the hindlimbs with a flexible stick) [50]. As disease progresses, BSE-infected cattle develop deficits in locomotion include tremors, hypermetria, hindlimb and generalized ataxia, difficulty rising, spastic gait, and thermal recumbency [49]. Terminally, cattle may enter into a "dull" form of the disease characterized by loss of previous hyperesthesia and disinterest in surroundings [20].…”

“…Like other prion diseases, BSE infection in cattle is principally associated with progressive changes in behavior and locomotion. Early disease is dominated by changes in behavior, including increased alertness, nervousness, excitability, nervous ear/eye movements, and hypersensitivity to touch, sound, and visual stimuli, head shyness, panic-stricken response, reluctance to enter the milking parlor, and change in temperament [20,[47][48][49]. During this early phase, specific tests used to elicit hyperesthesia include: (1) the "flash test" (reactivity to a camera flash), (2) the "clipboard test" (reactivity to waving a clipboard towards the animal, (3) the "hand clap" (reactivity to clapping hands), and (4) the "stick test" (reactivity to a light touch of the hindlimbs with a flexible stick) [50].…”