Infection

Earlier today the US Department of Agriculture issued a recall on 7000 lbs. of hamburger that had been distributed to a major nationally recognized fast food franchise. It is suspected that the meat may have been proscessed from cattle that suffered from variant bovine spongiform encephalopathy (vBSE), or “mad cow disease”. Human consumption of this meat may result in the development of neurological symptoms in a number of effected individuals. Symptoms include ataxia, or difficulty controlling body movements, abnormal gait, speech, and dementia and can take up to 40 years to appear. Symptoms occur when brain cells are being destroyed. The patient’s condition will deteriorate rapidly within weeks, with most people dying within a year. If you suspect that you may have ingested a contaminated burger do not go to the emergency room, but schedule an appointment with your health care professioal for continued observation.