BSE vs Other TSE

[hydraliskdragon]

What does BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopaty) greatly differ from regular TSE (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopaty)?

 

What makes it such a sucessful virus?

[CharonY]

First the semantics:

 

BSE or TSE are conditions, not the agents themselves. Also they are caused by prions, and not by viruses. As such they are not successful per se, as they do not replicate in the traditional sense but only change the form of existing prion proteins to their malign form.

 

The prevalence of BSE (and scrapie) compared to e.g. CJ is likely due to the fact that cattle were fed contaminated meat-and-bone meal, something that does not normally happen in nature. That and of course the media coverage.