However,according to my opinion mad cow disease (BSE) is not an infectious disease. See my recent presentation at 29th World Veterinary Congress in Vancouver (http://www.bse-expert.cz/pdf/Veter_kongres.pdf);

Neurodegenerative Diseases and Schizophrenia as a Hyper or Hypofunction of the NMDA Receptors. Normal prion protein (PrPc) might function to block some NMDA receptors and thereby prevent overexcitement and death of neurons. Recently researchers at the University of Calgary (April, 2008) found; when the nerve cells received the messenger glutamate, they went into hyperactive mode, however, when also Mg was removed from the cells, the brain cells went into seizure mode.

Sincerely,
Josef Hlasny, DVM, PhD, Czech Republic