The New Straits Times, March 11, 2001
By Professor Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
THE Aidiladha or Hari Raya Korban celebration just ended recently.
This holy occasion is marked by making sacrifices, epitomised by the slaughtering of cattle, in observing Ibrahim’s obedience to the commandment of God to "slay" his beloved son Ismail.
There were reports that some are shying away from eating the sacrificial meat in the wake of the mad cow disease or BSE -- bovine spongiform encephalitis -- panic. Why is the sudden global anxiety?
For one thing the problem seems unabated. Some relate this to the mindset arising from reports of new epidemics such as AIDS and Ebola.
Adding to this fragile syche are the allegations, counter-allegations and denials among some governments in defence of their cattle industry.
Just last week the meat market was forced to close in some European countries. Secondly, the disease qualifies as a hysteria-inducing illness.
In the main it preys on the brain and nervous system, giving one the feeling of helplessness as often demonstrated when the human core is under siege, be it in the case of Parkinsonism, brain tumour or even a stroke.
For sure, when it comes to the brain, many understand that there is little that can be done especially when it is difficult to detect at the early stages.
Thirdly, as of today there is no known cure for the disease. The available treatment is at best tentative, much like Ebola and AIDS.
Fourth, it being new, there is a relative lack of information about the disease. In many parts of the developing world, the interest is peripheral.
Thus there are misconceptions of how vulnerable everyone will be, especially when it is transmitted through food, though in the case of mad cow disease, it is confined to beef products only.
After all beef-products stuff has many spin-offs, -- not least milk and the dairy products derived from it. The list is almost endless; and how can we be sure of what to expect?
Finally, to add to this information gap is the origin of the disease itself. Currently there is still some concern over the prevailing theory.
Such is the case even for the more established cousins like AIDS. More so when a new and weird naming agent is involved, and invisible to the naked eye.
In the case of mad cow, the causative agent is not the "usual class" of bacteria or viruses, but a new agent, a malicious and contorted protein called a "prion", according to one source.
How sure can we be, that this is the infectious agents, are some of the issues raised in the literature?
For example, a review by Gary Taubes, the author of Nobel Dreams: Power, Deceit, and the Ultimate Experiment, raised more than just eyebrows.
The author who also writes for magazines like Science and Discover, suggests that while the "prion hypothesis" has virtually been accepted by almost every-one, this is not so among researchers in the field.
According to Taubes, some said the prion hypothesis is still rife with loopholes. For instance, the diseases allegedly caused by prions come in a few different strains.
While it is common to talk about variations in viruses or bacteria, because they contain nucleic acids, which encode for variations, it is not so for "prions".
There are those who are still unconvinced how a protein that has no nucleic acid (so-called "Protein X"), could encode for the variations.
Others feel the prion may be a "viral co-factor," which implies that the prion is not the infectious agent, and more probably a virus. Still others make reference to a "slow virus".
The reality is, virus-hunting is not an easy game when it comes to "a mishmash of animal brains", which is where one would have to look, if indeed a virus causes the disease.
It is laborious as it is expensive, and may take decades before one is identified.
Even then some scientists still favour an earlier theory, namely BSE was caused when scrapie, "a BSE-like illness in sheep, jumped the species barrier after cows were fed supplements made from dead sheep". And many more. See http://sparc.airtime.co.uk/bse/hypoth.htm .
Hence, as all these uncertainties are being sorted out, the world population needs to be assured as to how the situation can be effectively dealt with, in terms of curative and preventive health.
Otherwise uneasiness about disease continues; and the existing mistrust is bound to balloon. This especially so when reportedly mad cow disease is heading towards Asia.
It is said to be growing in this part of the world, although there is yet to be a confirmed case in Asia.
In turn, mad cow will be an obsession what with the inroads foot-and-mouth disease is making.
What could be more deadly than being charged by a mad cow with foot-and-mouth disease!
Recommended site: http://www.cyber-dyne.com/
