How come Mad Cow Disease hasn't infected more people?

[Ryank65]

I was reading a lot about Mad Cow Disease in the UK and from multiple websites it said that they estimate 3 quarters of a million infected cattle were consumed by the British population from 1980-1996. That is A TON OF MEAT!!!! If those statistics are true and that much contaminated meat was consumed how come we are not seeing thousands and thousands of people dying from CJD in the UK? How come it’s only like 200 people in past 25 years? What does that say about infection from contaminated meat? Is it hard to contract even if you do eat infected meat? Do we have partial brain barriers that can block infection or are some people more susceptible than others? Did people only get sick from eating brain and spinal meat? Is eating normal contaminated meat fine? Lots of unknowns about this disease but one thing is for sure is that I now believe this isn’t something to be taken lightly.

Reason Im asking is because I live in the United States (Wisconsin), where Chronic Wasting Disease is now a huge deal in the news. The similarities between Chronic Wasting Disease and Mad Cow are frightening. My family and I hunt in a county where 12 deer were positive out of 354 tested. Im concerned about contracting the disease from the deer we never got tested 2 years ago and another deer we got 3 years ago. Im concerned for my family and my neighbors and friends who I have given meat too. We grill out and make venison jerky all the time. We don't eat spinal or brain matter but I have no idea if the butcher we take it to even uses precautions to make sure untested deer blood doesn't mix when butchering. Should I be concerned about contacting the disease from the deer I've eaten? I have anxiety about m family or I contracting CJD years from now.

[ankietyjoe]

I doubt a single person here is even remotely qualified to answer this question.

Could it possibly be that media (as usual) connects dots that are unconnected and blows a relatively trivial issue out of all proportion?

[Dying_Swan]

Not a clue I'm afraid. It was a big deal here in the 90's but never hear about it now. No doubt there has been plenty of scientific research into it which could probably better answer your questions. Thing is, there is absolutely zero point worrying about it. You've eaten the deer, we've eaten the beef, and to my knowledge there is no vaccine or preventative medication for it. I could be wrong, but I suspect you're far more likely to drive yourself mad from worrying about CJD than you are from actually getting it.

[Fishmanpa]

I suspect you're far more likely to drive yourself mad from worrying about CJD than you are from actually getting it.

Exactly....

Positive thoughts

[Elen]

a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention) suggests, "[m]ore epidemiologic and laboratory studies are needed to monitor the possibility of such transmissions".[5] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_wasting_disease#cite_note-human-5) The epidemiological study further concluded, "[a]s a precaution, hunters should avoid eating deer and elk tissues known to harbor the CWD agent (e.g., brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes) from areas where CWD has been identified"

Is this of any comfort to you?