The Associated Press reports that scientists seem to have moved a step closer to finding a treatment for the human version of mad cow disease.
Doing experiments on mice, the scientists discovered that by administering weekly injections of an experimental substance, they were able to block the development of a fatal brain illness that resembles the human variety of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. However, when administered to mice that already had the affliction, the treatment had no effect.
It is a long way from actually having a treatment for humans who come down with the disease, but the AP reports that researchers from Imperial College in London and University College London believe that they are headed in the right direction.
Mad cow disease has made headlines in recent years because more than 100 cases in the UK alone have been linked to eating contaminated beef products.
Doing experiments on mice, the scientists discovered that by administering weekly injections of an experimental substance, they were able to block the development of a fatal brain illness that resembles the human variety of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. However, when administered to mice that already had the affliction, the treatment had no effect.
It is a long way from actually having a treatment for humans who come down with the disease, but the AP reports that researchers from Imperial College in London and University College London believe that they are headed in the right direction.
Mad cow disease has made headlines in recent years because more than 100 cases in the UK alone have been linked to eating contaminated beef products.
- KC's View:
- The only downside to this news that we can see is that People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) may get all exorcised about using mice in these experiments.
