[Bovine spongiform encephalopathy]

The bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a new bovine disease, was diagnosed first in the U.K. in 1985. Primarily an object of interest to scientific and news media, it has become a subject of research to some specialists only. Some aspects seem to point out the importance and potential danger of this disease to humans, too. Its similarity to other chronic degenerative forms of central nervous diseases is discussed.