Which statement about BSE is true?

Which statement about BSE is true?

• A. It is a contagious bacterial infection.
• B. It stands for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.
• C. It affects only humans.
• D. It is cured with antibiotics.

Answer: (B)

BSE is a prion disease in cattle that causes progressive degeneration of the brain, leading to characteristic sponge-like changes in neural tissue. The statement that BSE stands for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is true because the name directly describes the affected species (bovine) and the brain changes (spongiform encephalopathy). It is not a contagious bacterial infection—antibiotics target bacteria, not misfolded proteins like prions. It primarily affects cattle, not humans as the sole host, though it can be linked to human illness through consumption of affected animal tissue. There is no antibiotic cure for prion diseases.

BSE is a prion disease in cattle that causes progressive degeneration of the brain, leading to characteristic sponge-like changes in neural tissue. The statement that BSE stands for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is true because the name directly describes the affected species (bovine) and the brain changes (spongiform encephalopathy). It is not a contagious bacterial infection—antibiotics target bacteria, not misfolded proteins like prions. It primarily affects cattle, not humans as the sole host, though it can be linked to human illness through consumption of affected animal tissue. There is no antibiotic cure for prion diseases.