Mad cow disease- how can you get it??

How is mad cow spread from person to person?? I looked it up and it appears just through the blood. I think you cannot get it through coughing, breathing on someone, sneezing, etc. Can anyone verify?? Did not find much...

Thank you!!
Quote from EponaHow is mad cow spread from person to person?? I looked it up and it appears just through the blood. I think you cannot get it through coughing, breathing on someone, sneezing, etc. Can anyone verify?? Did not find much... Thank you!!

I heard that only eating organs from an infected animal was the source of human exposure. (Brains, liver, etc)

Only through the brain tissue.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Fact Sheet: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)I know when I spent over 3 months overseas in the UK I was not permitted to give blood back here in the US. The whole time we only ate vegetarian, poultry or mutton.

You can get it through blood (thats why if you've lived in the UK you cannot donate blood) and its also been found in saliva and other bodily fluids. Its not just bovine. Elk and deer can spread it amongst themselves, pork and chicken can carry it as well. Its a prion (smaller than a virus and they think viruses actually carry the prions... they can easily pass through the blood brain barrier) that infects brain matter and the spinal cord. There are strict regulations of which body parts CANNOT be used in food products now. The whole way it started: farmers were feeding thier cows byproducts with brain and spinal cord tissues from other infected slaughtered animals. Its scary actually. How do we really know companies are following the regulations? Whats really in our hotdogs and chicken nuggets? Its a horrible horrible painful disease thats always ends in death with the patient being straight up tortured until they do die. Humans are susceptible to the other strains as well, not just bovine. It really turns me off to meat, and I try to stay away from ground beef, hotdogs, and anything that could potentially have nervous tissue or others infected parts involved since I certainly do not trust manufacturers. Better to go to a local butcher you trust. I'm sure you should be able to access many great articles in veterinary medical journals if you have access.

Quote from PCCNnurseOnly through the brain tissue.

CDC page about prion diseases.

Quote from njmomstudentYou can get it through blood (thats why if you've lived in the UK you cannot donate blood) and its also been found in saliva and other bodily fluids. Its not just bovine. Elk and deer can spread it amongst themselves, pork and chicken can carry it as well. Its a prion (smaller than a virus and they think viruses actually carry the prions... they can easily pass through the blood brain barrier) that infects brain matter and the spinal cord. There are strict regulations of which body parts CANNOT be used in food products now. The whole way it started: farmers were feeding thier cows byproducts with brain and spinal cord tissues from other infected slaughtered animals. Its scary actually. How do we really know companies are following the regulations? Whats really in our hotdogs and chicken nuggets? Its a horrible horrible painful disease thats always ends in death with the patient being straight up tortured until they do die. Humans are susceptible to the other strains as well, not just bovine. It really turns me off to meat, and I try to stay away from ground beef, hotdogs, and anything that could potentially have nervous tissue or others infected parts involved since I certainly do not trust manufacturers. Better to go to a local butcher you trust. I'm sure you should be able to access many great articles in veterinary medical journals if you have access.

Quote from roser13However, the screening process for organs/blood has been vastly improved in the last few years. CJD should not be an everyday concern for very many people.

I had someone breathe on me who had it. I cannot get it that way... right?? I am guessing not. Thanks!

No its not airborne.

I know a family who had CJD, because of this, none were allowed to donate blood or organs, even though the grandfather was the only person with the disease, leading me to believe that it is blood borne.