Blood Supply Threat: Mad-Cow Disease

The BBC reports that there's still plenty of risk for people who were transfused with blood contaminated by the human form of mad-cow disease. And even worse news: people may be infecting the blood supply right now.

Reportedly, 66 people received contaminated blood and three have been infected. A remaining 24 who are still alive -- and didn't die of other causes -- are at risk.

It sounds like there isn't a good way to protect the blood supply:

Experts believe that, based on the cases seen so far, infection from a blood transfusion can develop in just six or seven years.

Professor John Collinge of the MRC Prion Unit said:
"That three individuals from this small group of people that we know tohave been exposed through blood transfusion have already developed vCJD
infection suggests that the infection may be efficiently passed by thisroute.

"So the risk to remaining individuals is likely to be substantial."

[snip]

"... of course people who are silently incubating vCJD
at the moment may be blood donors and there is no way of knowing wherethat blood is going."

Read a recent story of mine about mad-cow and related diseases here.