Blood test for Mad Cow Disease in humans
Scientist from the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin have developed a test that makes it possible to quickly screen blood samples for vCJD, the human form of the mad cow disease. Dieter Naumann and his colleagues base their findings on the screening on a profile of how much infra red light of various frequencies is absorbed by the blood.
The unusual aspect of this development is that tests look at a wide range of chemical constituents of blood to determine whether or not an infection if present, rather than looking for specific antibodies or for the misshapen proteins characterised by the disease. The United States continues to refuse blood donations from people who may have been exposed to the mad cow disease while visiting the United Kingdom.
