Gene mutation underlies some mad cow disease. A rare genetic mutation may underlie some cases of mad cow disease in cattle and its discovery may help shed light on where the epidemic started, U.S. researchers reported on Friday. [News Source]

New form of ‘mad cow’ disease could infect humans. Just when it looked as if we had mad cow disease licked, a new threat may be lurking down on the farm - bovine amyloidic spongiform encephalopathy. [News Source]

Mad Cow Disease Also Caused By Genetic Mutation (Environmental News Network) New findings about the causes of mad cow disease show that sometimes it may be genetic. "We now know it's also in the genes of cattle," said Juergen A. Richt, Regents Distinguished Professor of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. [News Source]

Genetic link to mad cow found (The Wichita Eagle) Researchers have discovered that genetic mutation may sometimes cause mad cow disease, raising hopes that breeders will be able to use the information to eliminate one avenue for the disease. The findings were announced Friday by Kansas State University, where one of the researchers, Juergen Richt, joined its veterinary medicine faculty this summer. "We now know (mad cow disease is) also in ... [News Source]

New form of ‘mad cow’ disease could infect humans (New Scientist) A form of BSE that was first discovered in cows in 2003 can infect monkeys and possibly humans – experts say screening is as essential as ever (full text available to subscribers) [News Source]

Mad Cow Disease Also Caused By Genetic Mutation (Science Daily) New findings about the causes of mad cow disease show that sometimes it may be genetic. Until several years ago, it was thought that the cattle prion disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy -- also called BSE or mad cow disease -- was a foodborne disease. [News Source]