Bovine spongiform encepalopathy/Definition

A transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of cattle associated with abnormal prion proteins in the brain. Affected animals develop excitability and salivation followed by ataxia. This disorder has been associated with consumption of scrapie infected ruminant derived protein. This condition may be transmitted to humans, where it is referred to as variant or new variant Creuzfeldt-Jakob syndrome. National Library of Medicine