Which of the following diseases is associated with prions and is commonly known as "Mad Cow Disease"?

• A. Kuru
• B. Scrapie
• C. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• D. Mad cow disease

Answer: (D)

Mad Cow Disease, scientifically referred to as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), is indeed the disease associated with prions. Prions are misfolded proteins that can induce abnormal folding of normal cellular proteins, leading to a cascade of detrimental effects in neural tissue.

In the case of Mad Cow Disease, it primarily affects cattle, leading to neurodegeneration and, consequently, severe neurological symptoms and death. The disease can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected beef products, resulting in a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which highlights the significant implications of prion diseases for both animal and human health.

The other choices represent different prion diseases but are not referred to as Mad Cow Disease. Kuru is associated with human cannibalistic practices, Scrapie affects sheep, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a similar prion disease that occurs in humans but is distinct from Mad Cow Disease. Understanding the specificity of these terminologies is essential in the study of prion-related diseases.