Two Northern California residents were recently diagnosed as having a type of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease that is sometimes associated with mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The following °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ¿â Davis experts are available to answer questions about mad cow and associated diseases.
Diseases caused by prion proteins
Christina Sigurdson is an assistant professor in the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ¿â Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, based at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ¿â San Diego as part of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ¿â Veterinary Medical Center - San Diego. Her research focuses on the molecular basis of a group of diseases, including BSE and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which are caused by proteins called prions. She studies the genetic and the environmental factors that influence prion transmission. Contact: Christina Sigurdson, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ¿âVMC - SD, (858) 534-0978, jscullor@ucdavis.edu.
Beef cattle
John Maas, a °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ¿â Davis Cooperative Extension veterinarian, is a national expert on raising animals for food, particularly for beef. He also has been an active cattle rancher for 40 years. Maas has been to several European countries on a USDA mission to review mad cow disease/BSE diagnosis, testing and control systems. He is a frequent speaker to consumer, beef producer and veterinary groups and to the media. Maas can discuss U.S. cattle-tracking methods and disease-surveillance programs from regulatory, industry and university perspectives. Contact: John Maas, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ¿â Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, (530) 752-3990,
Media Resources
Pat Bailey, Research news (emphasis: agricultural and nutritional sciences, and veterinary medicine), 530-219-9640, pjbailey@ucdavis.edu