Concerned Americans against Mad Cow Disease STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY with Koreans May 13, 2008
Concerned Americans against Mad Cow Disease STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY with Koreans May 13, 2008
Concerned Americans against the Mad Cow
Please sign on with your name, city you live in and your email address. Or you can email it to younghuikim@hotmail.com.
STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY
May 10, 2008
US citizens are in full support of Koreans who oppose the government's decision to import US beef that have a potential risk of the Mad Cow Disease:
l US beef poses a health threat to consumers in the US and abroad
l Complete liberalizations of beef in Korea will only benefit US beef industries
l Governments of Korea and US must re-negotiate the US beef trade agreement to safeguard public health
As citizens of the United States, we are concerned about the potential risk of Mad Cow Disease in the US beef and highly commend the conscious decisions of the Korean children, students, parents, elders, workers, teachers and people from all walks of life for participating in mass candlelight vigils to oppose the recent Korea-US trade negotiation concerning the US beef import.
US beef is not safe. Among the few countries that are identified with the actual cases of mad cow disease, United States is the only country that continues to allow animal feed and weaning of calves on mixed milk and cattle blood. To date, American medical experts of mad cow disease continue to warn the public about the lack of regulations in the US to protect public from the risk of mad cow disease. Under the current meat slaughtering and processing practices, US beef may carry the highest risk of mad cow disease, for which citizens across the US have been organizing and fighting against.
Last February, Westland-Hallmark Meat, one of the major distributor of school lunches had the biggest recall of US beef in history for a total of 64,350 tons. As consumers who deeply care about the health of our families and communities, we can verify that both the US government and beef industry have not demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting our health from unsafe practice of beef production in this country. Thus, we are equally concerned about the Korean government's recent decision to weaken the already low and unsatisfactory regulations governing the US meat industry by allowing no age limit on beef import and importing beef of all parts—including intestines and bones that are known to have the highest risk of mad cow disease. Korea is the 3rd largest importer of beef from US Tyson Food and Cargill that have experienced slow profit since the outbreak of mad cow disease in 2003. With a growing number of Americans taking high precautions against beef consumption, it is not difficult to see why a new market is necessary for beef industry to reap profit from.
From the global perspective, the Korean government's decision to import US beef under the blind assumption that it is safe for human consumption poses threat not only to people in Korea but to people around the globe who consume Korean food products. As many Americans enjoy food products imported from Korea all of us will be forced to eat food that contain US beef that we feel are unsafe to consume and only benefit beef industry. It will also set a horrible precedent for other countries to follow. The current global food system is a reminder that people around the globe must work together to protect each other's health and communities.
In solidarity with the people of Korea we demand the following: l We urge our government to protect the health of Americans and people around the globe from mad cow disease by shutting down inhumane and unsafe practices of the US beef industry instead of protecting their profits. l We urge our government to re-negotiate the beef export to other countries, including Korea. Trade negotiations must be made only after the risk of mad cow disease and the inhumane and unhealthy practice of beef industry are satisfactorily addressed and resolved. l 82% of all people in South Korea are urging its government to re-negotiate the beef import with the US. Thousands of people are flooding into the streets all throughout the country to hold mass candlelight vigils to express their concerns about food safety. South Korean government must stop its "mad cow policy" and guarantee the freedom of speech for all people engaged in peaceful candlelight vigils in Korea. l United States and Korean government must recall the agreement and uphold the will of people by entering into a re-negotiation to resolve this situation.
Concerned Americans against the Mad Cow Disease Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto
http://www.yacomitservice.com/php/eng/board.php?board=kkkqna&command=body&no=85&
Students Protest Imports of US Beef in Candlelight Rally
http://www.yacomitservice.com/php/eng/board.php?board=kkkqna&command=body&no=79&
Re..Korea vs USDA beef (the truth)
Greetings KIWA et al and all Koreans,
A kind greetings from Bacliff, Texas.
I submit this data with great concern, sincerity, and in peace.
President Lee Myung-bak states ;
http://www.yacomitservice.com/php/eng/board.php?board=kkkqna&command=body&no=84
==============================================================
May 11, 2008
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
Korea and Americans STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY Korea VS USDA Beef Dispute May 11, 2008
Dear President Young-hui, KIWA (Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance), and all Korea,
Over this past Mothers day weekend, the fact my mother (DOD 12-14-97 confirmed hvCJD) and many more here in the USA of young and old are dead and dying from different forms of CJD, the fact the last two cases of mad cow disease here in the USA was of the atypical BSE strain (more virulent to humans), the ongoing dispute about US beef going to Korea, the deal that President Lee Myung-bak made with the USDA, the fact the second firewall the USDA speaks of i.e. mad cow feed ban, was nothing more than ink on paper, that was never enforced, I have been trying desperately to warn people in Korea about the true story of mad cow disease in the USA, and what has really taken place over the past 8 years or so. The people of Korea have not been told the truth. I kindly wish to submit the following to you with great concern. It is with great honor, sadness, sincerity, and hope that I submit the following in good faith, so the kind Honorable people of Korea, America, and the rest of the world, can know the truth. I thank President Young-hui, KIWA (Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance), for allowing me to comment on this urgent matter. I hope that by this STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY, that a movement in the USA and around the globe, of young and old, will join with those brave young Koreans protesting in the streets, and demand an end to this madness. WE are the consumers, and we demand a safe product, period. Just because the _documented_ death rate from human vCJD is minimal so far, does not make it acceptable. There are many factors that play into this long term nightmare, that are still unknown, one is of the atypical TSEs. Also, DO NOT forget about 'friendly fire' iatrogenic Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease. it's not just about 'consumption'. the medical, surgical, and dental arena will play a huge role in these long term death sentences from animal TSE via secondary transmission i.e. 'friendly fire', and with the atypical BSE being more virulent, it's anyone's guess how this will play out in the long run. you here industry groups comment 'your more likely to get hit by a car than die from CJD'. well, maybe so, but my mother and many more did not die from getting hit by a car, they died from CJD, my mothers being the hvCJD (documented). The deception by the USDA, FDA, and the Bush administration about mad cow disease, CJD, and all Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy over the past 8 years have been outrageous, to a point of being criminal. I am vested in nothing, but the truth. ...
"South Korea may demand revision of US beef import pact"
"The agreement, struck last month, has been widely criticized as making too"
"many concessions to the United States"
THE PEOPLE of Korea _should_ be mad about the importing of USA beef into their Country. can you believe these regulations? even IF a BSE case(s) are documented in the USA, the people of Korea still cannot suspend the importing of U.S. beef, NO matter how many more mad cows the USA finds, until a thorough epidemiological investigation is finished. please remember, it took over a year and literally an act of congress to confirm the atypical mad cow in Texas before they finally finish that epidemiological investigation, and even after all that, the Koreans still cannot ban USA beef, until the OIE recognizes an adverse change in the classification of the U.S. BSE status. Considering the USDA and the OIE collaborated to seal the deal of the BSE MRR policy (the legal trading of all strains of TSE globally, just for commodities and futures sake, human health was not even considered), I doubt the OIE would ever change the BSE status for the USA, no matter how many more mad cows are found. It's all about money folks.
WE are talking years now, before the Koreans could ever suspend USA beef due to a BSE case(s) ever being documented in the USA, due to these stupid regulations. This is nothing more than FORCE FEEDING KOREA USDA MAD COW BEEF, i.e. all for a dollar, to hell with human health on a disease with an incubation period of years if not a decade or more.
Please remember, the last two mad cows documented in the USA i.e. Alabama and Texas, both were of the 'atypical' BSE strain, and immediately after that, the USDA shut down the testing from 470,000 to 40,000 in the U.S. in 2007 out of about 35 million cattle slaughtered. also, science is showing that some of these atypical cases are more virulent to humans than the typical UK BSE strain ;
***Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.***
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
An Update from Stephen M. Sergay, MB, BCh & Pierluigi Gambetti, MD
April 3, 2008
http://www.aan.com/news/?event=read&article_id=4397&page=72.45.45
IF BSE is not in the USA (just not documented for many different reasons), and only atypical BSE is in the USA (plus CWD, plus, many strains of Scrapie, and Now the Nor-98 documented in 5 different states, plus TME, then why would human mad cow in the USA look like the UK nvCJD from UK BSE cows ? it was shown long ago in studies at Mission Texas that experimental transmission of USA Scrapie to USA Bovine, DID NOT LOOK LIKE UK BSE. so again, in short, why would human mad cow in the USA look like human mad cow in the UK i.e. the (nvCJD). however, I believe that BSE has been in the USA untested and undocumented for years. why on earth then does the USDA refuse to allow creekstone or anyone else test their product? simple, if you don't look/test, you don't find.
ONE only has to read how the USDA et al have legally blocked, blundered, botched, mismanaged, bungled, floundered, and flat out manipulated, the testing in the infamous June 2004 enhanced cover-up program for mad cow surveillance and testing. I mean, I am not really to hip on THE INDUSTRY, testing for mad cow disease, and what that program might consist of, but anything is better than nothing at all. ...
BSE BASE MAD COW TESTING TEXAS, USA, AND CANADA
http://madcowtesting.blogspot.com/
MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html
In 2007, in one weekly enforcement report, the fda recalled 10,000,000+ pounds of BANNED MAD COW FEED, 'in commerce', and i can tell you that most of it was fed out ;
10,000,000+ LBS. of PROHIBITED BANNED MAD COW FEED I.E. MBM IN COMMERCE USA 2007
Date: March 21, 2007 at 2:27 pm PST REASON Blood meal used to make cattle feed was recalled because it was cross-contaminated with prohibited bovine meat and bone meal that had been manufactured on common equipment and labeling did not bear cautionary BSE statement. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 42,090 lbs. DISTRIBUTION WI
REASON Products manufactured from bulk feed containing blood meal that was cross contaminated with prohibited meat and bone meal and the labeling did not bear cautionary BSE statement. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 9,997,976 lbs. DISTRIBUTION ID and NV
END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR MARCH 21, 2007
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2007/ENF00996.html
Subject: MAD COW FEED RECALL USA SEPT 6, 2006 1961.72 TONS IN COMMERCE AL, TN, AND WV Date: September 6, 2006 at 7:58 am PST
snip... see listings and references of enormous amounts of banned mad cow protein 'in commerce' in 2006 and 2005 ;
see full text ;
Friday, April 25, 2008
Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed [Docket No. 2002N-0273] (Formerly Docket No. 02N-0273) RIN 0910-AF46
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/substances-prohibited-from-use-in.html
SPECIFIED RISK MATERIALS
http://madcowspontaneousnot.blogspot.com/2008/02/specified-risk-materials-srm.html
SRM MAD COW RECALL 406 THOUSAND POUNDS CATTLE HEADS WITH TONSILS KANSAS
http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/04/srm-mad-cow-recall-406-thousand-pounds.html
Sunday, April 20, 2008 Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008
Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.
see full text ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2008/04/progress-report-from-national-prion.html
CJD TEXAS (cjd clusters)
CJD USA RISING
The statistical incidence of CJD cases in the United States has been revised to reflect that there is one case per 9000 in adults age 55 and older. Eighty-five percent of the cases are sporadic, meaning there is no known cause at present.
http://www.cjdfoundation.org/fact.html
Communicated by: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. <flounder9@verizon.net>
[In submitting these data, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. draws attention to the steady increase in the "type unknown" category, which, according to their definition, comprises cases in which vCJD could be excluded. The total of 26 cases for the current year (2007) is disturbing, possibly symptomatic of the circulation of novel agents. Characterization of these agents should be given a high priority. - Mod.CP]
http://pro-med.blogspot.com/2007/11/proahedr-prion-disease-update-2007-07.html
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
MARCH 26, 2003
RE-Monitoring the occurrence of emerging forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in the United States
Email Terry S. Singeltary:
I lost my mother to hvCJD (Heidenhain Variant CJD). I would like to comment on the CDC's attempts to monitor the occurrence of emerging forms of CJD. Asante, Collinge et al [1] have reported that BSE transmission to the 129-methionine genotype can lead to an alternate phenotype that is indistinguishable from type 2 PrPSc, the commonest sporadic CJD. However, CJD and all human TSEs are not reportable nationally. CJD and all human TSEs must be made reportable in every state and internationally. I hope that the CDC does not continue to expect us to still believe that the 85%+ of all CJD cases which are sporadic are all spontaneous, without route/source. We have many TSEs in the USA in both animal and man. CWD in deer/elk is spreading rapidly and CWD does transmit to mink, ferret, cattle, and squirrel monkey by intracerebral inoculation. With the known incubation periods in other TSEs, oral transmission studies of CWD may take much longer. Every victim/family of CJD/TSEs should be asked about route and source of this agent. To prolong this will only spread the agent and needlessly expose others. In light of the findings of Asante and Collinge et al, there should be drastic measures to safeguard the medical and surgical arena from sporadic CJDs and all human TSEs. I only ponder how many sporadic CJDs in the USA are type 2 PrPSc?
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/60/2/176#535
THE PATHOLOGICAL PROTEIN
Hardcover, 304 pages plus photos and illustrations. ISBN 0-387-95508-9
June 2003
BY Philip Yam
CHAPTER 14 LAYING ODDS
Answering critics like Terry Singeltary, who feels that the U.S. under- counts CJD, Schonberger conceded that the current surveillance system has errors but stated that most of the errors will be confined to the older population.
http://www.thepathologicalprotein.com/
Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Singeltary, Sr et al. JAMA.2001; 285: 733-734. Vol. 285 No. 6, February 14, 2001 JAMA
Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
To the Editor: In their Research Letter, Dr Gibbons and colleagues1 reported that the annual US death rate due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has been stable since 1985. These estimates, however, are based only on reported cases, and do not include misdiagnosed or preclinical cases. It seems to me that misdiagnosis alone would drastically change these figures. An unknown number of persons with a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in fact may have CJD, although only a small number of these patients receive the postmortem examination necessary to make this diagnosis. Furthermore, only a few states have made CJD reportable. Human and animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies should be reportable nationwide and internationally.
Terry S. Singeltary, Sr Bacliff, Tex
1. Gibbons RV, Holman RC, Belay ED, Schonberger LB. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United States: 1979-1998. JAMA. 2000;284:2322-2323. FREE FULL TEXT
2 January 2000 British Medical Journal U.S. Scientist should be concerned with a CJD epidemic in the U.S., as well
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/320/7226/8/b#6117
15 November 1999 British Medical Journal vCJD in the USA * BSE in U.S.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/319/7220/1312/b#5406
Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME. Since previous incidences of TME were associated with common or shared feeding practices, we obtained a careful history of feed ingredients used over the past 12-18 months. The rancher was a "dead stock" feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. Sheep had never been fed.
http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
USDA CERTIFIED DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM for children
please note, dead stock downer cattle i.e. non-ambulatory, are the most likely to have mad cow disease.
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
GAO REPORT ON HUMANE METHODS OF HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER I.E. DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
What GAO Found
April 17, 2008
HUMANE METHODS OF HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER
Public Reporting on Violations Can Identify Enforcement Challenges and Enhance Transparency
In January 2004, GAO reported that incomplete and inconsistent inspection records made it difficult to determine the frequency and scope of HMSA violations, inspectors did not always document violations of the act, and they did not consistently document the scope and severity of each incident. GAO also reported that enforcement actions to address noncompliance with the act were inconsistent, and that USDA was not using consistent criteria to determine when to suspend plant operations in cases of serious or repeated violations. The Congress has urged USDA to report annually on trends in compliance with humane slaughter methods. Such public reporting can enhance transparency, but USDA’s most recent report was in March 2003 and relied on incomplete data. For example, that report said very few infractions were for inhumane treatment, but GAO found that at least one-fourth of the infractions were for ineffective stunning which fails to meet humane standards. USDA has taken actions to address the recommendations GAO made in 2004 about oversight of HMSA. However, GAO has not evaluated the effectiveness of these actions. USDA faces resource challenges that may make it difficult for it to enforce HMSA and ensure the safety of the food supply. Although USDA’s budget for food safety-related activities has increased since 1988, staffing for these activities has declined from its highest level in 1995. Agency officials noted the overall decline is due, in part, to consolidation in the meat industry, resulting in fewer facilities. In 2004, GAO found that USDA lacked detailed information on how much time its inspectors spend on humane handling and slaughter activities, making it difficult to determine if the number of inspectors is adequate. USDA has taken actions to address most of GAO’s recommendationsfor assessing its resource needs for HMSA, but GAO has not evaluated these actions. Although not directly related to HMSA activities, the quantity of meat and poultry inspected and passed by USDA has grown, and the quantity of meat and poultry recalled has increased. USDA has oversight responsibility for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and processed eggs. For example, federal regulations prohibit companies from processing and selling meat from disabled cows—which have a higher probability of being infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy—without explicit USDA inspector approval. However, USDA is only 1 of 15 agencies that collectively administer at least 30 laws related to food safety. This fragmentation is the key reason GAO added the federal oversight of food safety to its High-Risk Series in 2007 and called for a governmentwide reexamination of the food safety system. GAO has reported on problems with this system—including inconsistent oversight, ineffective coordination, and inefficient use of resources. Going forward, as GAO has recommended, a governmentwide, results-oriented performance plan and a reconvened President’s Council on Food Safety could build a sustained focus on the safety of the nation’s food supply.
Note: Data for 2008 are estimated. Although the number of recalls has declined in recent years, the quantity of meat and poultry recalled has increased sharply. Meat and poultry product recalls declined from 125 in 2002 to 58 in 2007. However, 2 of the 6 biggest meat recalls in U.S. history have occurred in the past 6 months. In October 2007, Topps Meat Company LLC announced the recall of 22 million pounds of ground beef used for frozen hamburgers due to E. coli contamination. At the time, the Topps recall was the fifth largest in U.S. history. The E. coli-contaminated meat sickened at least 32 people in eight states. On February 17, 2008, Westland/Hallmark Meat Company announced the recall of more than 143 million pounds of beef, the largest recall in U.S. history. The quantity of meat and poultry recalled has increased from 5 million pounds in 1994, the first year for which data were readily available, to 145 million in just the first quarter of March 2008.
see full text 18 pages ;
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08686t.pdf
Thu Dec 6, 2007 11:38
FDA IN CRISIS MODE, AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/dec0407fda.html
FDA SCIENCE AND MISSION AT RISK
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle 9/13/2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/03-025IFA/03-025IFA-2.pdf
3. Prof. A. Robertson gave a brief account of BSE. The US approach was to accord it a _very low profile indeed_. Dr. A Thiermann showed the picture in the ''Independent'' with cattle being incinerated and thought this was a fanatical incident to be _avoided_ in the US _at all costs_ $
http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m11b/tab01.pdf
Attachment to Singeltary comment
January 28, 2007
Greetings APHIS,
I would kindly like to submit the following to ;
BSE; MRR; IMPORTATION OF LIVE BOVINES AND PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM BOVINES [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0041] RIN 0579-AC01
[Federal Register: January 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 5)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 1101-1129] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09ja07-21]
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=09000064801f8152
BSE; MRR; IMPORTATION OF LIVE BOVINES AND PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM BOVINES [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0041] RIN 0579-AC01 Date: January 9, 2007 at 9:08 am PST
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=09000064801f3412
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
APHIS-2006-0041-0006 TSE advisory committee for the meeting December 15, 2006
NOR-98 ATYPICAL SCRAPIE 5 cases documented in USA in 5 different states USA 007
http://nor-98.blogspot.com/2008/04/seac-spongiform-encephalopathy-advisory.html
SCRAPIE USA
http://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 03, 2008
A prion disease of cervids: Chronic wasting disease 2008
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/04/prion-disease-of-cervids-chronic.html
Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy TME
http://transmissible-mink-encephalopathy.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Interference at the EPA - Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
please see full text ;
http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/
Greetings again Honorable President Young-hui, KIWA (Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance), and all Korea,
You might want to communicate these factors of iCJD to your fellow Koreans in the USA who are having medical, surgical and or dental work done. With the many different animal TSEs in the USA of typical and atypical phenotype, the consumption thereof of these TSE infected animals, and the following medical, surgical, and or dental work done on any individual consuming such tainted product, the fact that Koreans are more susceptible to contracting a TSE, one must ponder all these factors ;
Polymorphisms of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in a Korean population Journal Journal of Human Genetics Publisher Springer Japan ISSN 1434-5161 (Print) 1435-232X (Online) Issue Volume 49, Number 6 / June, 2004 Category Short Communication DOI 10.1007/s10038-004-0150-7 Pages 319-324 Subject Collection Biomedical and Life Sciences SpringerLink Date Monday, May 17, 2004
Byung-Hoon Jeong1, Jae-Hwan Nam2, Yun-Jung Lee1, Kyung-Hee Lee1, Myoung-Kuk Jang1, Richard I. Carp3, Ho-Dong Lee2, Young-Ran Ju2, Sangmee Ahn Jo2, Keun-Yong Park2 and Yong-Sun Kim1, 4
(1) Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Ilsong Building, 1605-4, Gwanyang-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang, Kyounggi-do, 431-060, South Korea (2) Department of Virology, Korea National Institute of Health, Eunpyung-gu, Seoul, 122-701, South Korea (3) New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA (4) Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, 1605-4, Gwanyang-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang, Kyounggi-do, 431-060, South Korea
Received: 7 January 2004 Accepted: 5 March 2004 Published online: 18 May 2004
Abstract Human prion protein gene (PRNP) has been considered to be involved in the susceptibility of humans to prion diseases. Polymorphisms of methionine (Met)/valine (Val) at codon 129 and of glutamic acid (Glu)/lysine (Lys) at codon 219 are thought to play an important role in susceptibility to sporadic, iatrogenic and variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD). Although the genotype distribution of polymorphisms in PRNP open reading frame (ORF) has been reported in many European populations, among Asian groups, it has been reported only in the Japanese population. We examined the PRNP polymorphisms in 529 healthy Koreans. We observed that genotype frequencies at codon 129 was 94.33% Met/Met, 5.48% Met/Val, and 0.19% Val/Val with an allele frequency of 0.971:0.029 Met:Val, and that genotype frequencies at codon 219 was 92.06% Glu/Glu, 7.94% Glu/Lys, and 0% Lys/Lys with an allele frequency of 0.96:0.04 Glu:Lys. The frequencies of the Glu/Glu genotype (2=10.075, P=0.0015) and of the Glu allele (2=9.486, P=0.0021) at codon 219 were significantly higher in the Korean population than the Japanese population. In addition, the genotype frequency of heterozygotes (12.7%) at codons 129 or/and 219 was significantly lower in Koreans than in people from Great Britain (2=89.52, P<0.0001). The deletion rate of one octarepeat (R2 deletion) was 0.38%, with 99.62% undeleted homozygotes and 0% deleted homozygote. To our knowledge, the R2 octarepeat deletion has never been found in people from countries other than Korea. The data of PRNP polymorphism at codon 219 suggest that Koreans may be more sensitive to sporadic CJD than the Japanese population. Keywords Prion protein gene - Polymorphism - Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease - Single nucleotide polymorphism - Deletion - Korean
http://www.springerlink.com/content/51h1j81h80hjrdtf/
European Journal of Human Genetics (2005) 13, 1094–1097. doi:10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201460; published online 29 June 2005
Polymorphism at 3' UTR +28 of the prion-like protein gene is associated with sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease Byung-Hoon Jeong1, Nam-Ho Kim1, Eun-Kyoung Choi1, Chaeyoung Lee1, Young-Han Song1, Jae-Il Kim2, Richard I Carp2 and Yong-Sun Kim1,3
1Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, 1605-4 Gwanyang-dong
snip...
Our results are the first genetic association study of the PRND noncoding region with sporadic CJD. Recently, we reported that the distributions of codons 129 and 219 genotypes of PRNP in a Korean population differ significantly from those reported for other ethnic groups.24 Thus, further investigations in different ethnic groups including Europeans will be necessary to assess association between sporadic CJD and the PRND 3' UTR +28 polymorphism. Furthermore, since it is unknown whether this polymorphism affects mRNA stability or gene expression of PRND, further experiments should be conducted to clarify the role of this polymorphism in PRND function.
http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v13/n9/full/5201460a.html
iatrogenic Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
Reports of incidents of potential iatrogenic exposure to CJD via surgery: 01 January 2000 to 31 Dec 2007
There were a total of 329 incidents reported during this period (table 1). Eleven surgical incidents were reported between 1 July and 31 December 2007 (since the previous update report). A surgical incident occurs when a patient undergoes surgery but is only identified as having CJD or being at risk of CJD at a later date. This means that the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) transmissible spongiform encephalopathy working group infection control guidelines would not have been followed. The surgery carried out on an index patient with, or at risk of, CJD may result in contamination of the instruments with abnormal prion protein. Table 1 shows the number of CJD surgical incidents reported to the CJD Incidents Panel from January 2000 to December 2007 by the diagnosis of the index patient.
Table 1 CJD Surgical Incidents (n=329) reported to the CJD Incidents Panel, by diagnosis of index patient: January 2000 to Dec 2007
snip... see full text ;
http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpr/infections/ei_cjd.htm#cjd
Wednesday, January 02, 2008 Risk factors for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Wednesday, January 02, 2008 Risk factors for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
FURTHER INTO THIS STUDY ;
http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2008/01/risk-factors-for-sporadic-creutzfeldt.html
http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2007/12/risk-factors-for-sporadic-creutzfeldt.html
Monday, December 31, 2007 Risk Assessment of Transmission of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in Endodontic Practice in Absence of Adequate Prion Inactivation
http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2007/12/risk-assessment-of-transmission-of.html
with kindest regards, I am sincerely,
Terry S. Singeltary Sr. P.O. Box 42 Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
===============================END2008TSS============================
SUPPORTING STATEMENT 5-8-08
Our recent investigations of the U.S. cattle industry have shown that cows too sick, crippled, or diseased to even stand up are being beaten, shocked, and dragged with chains in an attempt to move them to slaughter for human consumption. Out of the 16 cases of mad cow disease found so far in North America, 13 cases have been in these downer cows. Upwards of a half million U.S. cattle go down every year due to illness or injury and a 2006 government report suggests over one hundred slaughter plants in the U.S. process these downer cows for human consumption.
The United States is the only country with this disease that allows downer cows to be slaughtered for human consumption, allows the continued feeding of slaughterhouse waste and manure to cows, and even allows the weaning of calves on milk replacers containing spray-dried cattle blood. Because the United States has the most lax regulations of any affected country, U.S. beef is likely the riskiest meat in the world when it comes to mad cow disease.
Because the incubation period for the human form of mad cow disease may be a decade or longer, it may take years between eating infected beef and coming down with symptoms before one dies with this invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease. So by the time many people are dying it is too late. And no form of cooking can eliminate infection from meat—the infectious agent has been shown to survive even incineration at temperatures hot enough to melt lead (600°C).
There is a bill before the U.S. Congress and Senate, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act. Until in the very least this bill passes into law and cows too sick to even walk to slaughter are not allowed in the human food supply, domestic consumers and our international trading partners have a right to be concerned about the safety of American beef. We strongly support the Korean people’s demand that the United States eliminate these risky and inhumane practices.
Michael Greger, M.D. Director, Public Health and Animal Agriculture The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L St., N.W. Washington, DC 20037 direct line: (202) 676-2361 fax: (202) 676-2372 http://www.birdflubook.org
About Michael Greger, MD: Michael Greger, MD, is the Mad Cow Coordinator for the Organic Consumers Association and the Chief BSE Investigator for Farm Sanctuary. Dr. Greger has been speaking publicly about mad cow disease since 1993. He has debated the National Cattlemen's Beef Association before the FDA and was invited as an expert witness at the Oprah Winfrey infamous "meat defamation" trial. He has contributed to many books and articles on the subject and continues to lecture extensively. Dr. Greger is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Agriculture and the Tufts University School of Medicine.
==============================END2008GREGER========================
Friday, May 9, 2008 USDA VS KOREA typical or atypical BSe Honorable people of Korea,
a kind and warm greetings from Texas.
snip...
"South Korea may demand revision of US beef import pact"
"The agreement, struck last month, has been widely criticized as making too"
"many concessions to the United States"
THE PEOPLE of Korea _should_ be mad about the importing of USA beef into their Country. can you believe these regulations? even IF a BSE case(s) are documented in the USA, the people of Korea still cannot suspend the importing of U.S. beef, NO matter how many more mad cows the USA finds, until a thorough epidemiological investigation is finished. please remember, it took over a year and literally an act of congress to confirm the atypical mad cow in Texas before they finally finish that epidemiological investigation, and even after all that, the Koreans still cannot ban USA beef, until the OIE recognizes an adverse change in the classification of the U.S. BSE status. Considering the USDA and the OIE collaborated to seal the deal of the BSE MRR policy (the legal trading of all strains of TSE globally, just for commodities and futures sake, human health was not even considered), I doubt the OIE would ever change the BSE status for the USA, no matter how many more mad cows are found. It's all about money folks.
WE are talking years now, before the Koreans could ever suspend USA beef due to a BSE case(s) ever being documented in the USA, due to these stupid regulations. This is nothing more than FORCE FEEDING KOREA USDA MAD COW BEEF, i.e. all for a dollar, to hell with human health on a disease with an incubation period of years if not a decade or more. ...
snip... see full text ;
http://usdavskorea.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 5, 2008
STATEMENT OF DR. RICHARD RAYMOND USDA UNDERSECRETARY FOR FOOD SAFETY May 4, 2008 (statements on Korea beef dispute)
http://usdameatexport.blogspot.com/2008/05/statement-of-dr-richard-raymond-usda.html
Friday, April 18, 2008
Statement by Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer on South Korea Reopening Market to U.S. Beef and Beef Products in Line with International Standards
http://usdameatexport.blogspot.com/2008/04/statement-by-agriculture-secretary-ed.html
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Seoul must end curbs on US beef for FTA, but WHY $
http://usdameatexport.blogspot.com/2008/01/seoul-must-end-curbs-on-us-beef-for-fta.html
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Transcript of Questions and Answers: Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner with Media After U.S. Meat Export Federation Remarks
http://usdameatexport.blogspot.com/2007/11/transcript-of-questions-and-answers.html
BSE YOUNGEST AGE STATISTICS UNDER 30 MONTHS
http://bseyoungestage.blogspot.com/
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
P.O. Box 42
Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
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