Detecting BSE Through Eyes Of Cattle
US - New research suggests that looking into the eyes of cattle prior to slaughter may prevent BSE from spreading in the food supply chain.
10 June 2010
1 minute read
Previous studies have suggested that chemical changes in an animal's retina, the light sensitive nerve tissue in the back of the eye, may provide a basis for detecting prion diseases, reports Science Daily.
Jacob Petrich and colleagues from the University of Iowa have shown that retinas of sheep infected with scrapie, a disease similar to Mad Cow Disease, emit a characteristic glow when examined with a beam of light from a special instrument.
They suggest that eye tests based on the finding could become important in the future for fast, inexpensive diagnosis of prion diseases and other neurological diseases.
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