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Alicon AG

BSE: How risky is it to drink milk?

Schlieren (ots)

Prion proteins found in commercial milk
In a first-time global breakthrough, a Swiss
start-up firm has succeeded in detecting prion proteins in the milk
of humans, cows, sheep, and goats. This again raises the question of
a "mad cow disease" risk from drinking milk. Tests are underway to
verify disease-causing prions in milk.
Prions are known to be causes of neurological conditions such as
Mad Cow disease (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in human beings.
The causative agent destroys the central nervous system in humans and
animals. It is known that prions can also emerge in body fluids such
as blood and be transferred by them. In the past it was difficult to
estimate the risk of an infection through blood transfusion or
drinking milk, since the concentration of prions in body fluids is
very low; nor is there a sensitive method to identify prions.
Moreover, the incubation time for infection in human beings can take
10 years or longer.
Prion proteins in milk from the supermarket
From a consumer standpoint, milk and milk products were regarded
as safe up till now. But this situation could change, since a team of
scientists from the biotechnology firm Alicon AG, headquartered at
Schlieren in Canton Zurich, has managed for the first time to detect
prion proteins in the milk of human beings, cows, sheep, and goats.
Using Alicon's new technology, prion proteins were even found in
homogenized and pasteurized milk on supermarket shelves, as reported
recently in the international science journal Public Library of
Science (PLoS ONE)(1).
In the case of the prion proteins detected, it is highly likely
that they were of the normal variety posing no danger to health.
However, the occurrence of the normal variety could mean that the
milk of cows already infected with BSE also contains infectious prion
proteins [i.e., prions] of the disease-causing variety. Alicon's head
of research, Dr. Ralph Zahn, comments: "So far there has been no
scientific basis for assuming that only 'healthy' prion proteins are
present in milk and those causing disease were not."
Hence, beside blood and urine, milk is another body fluid in which
prions causing disease could be present. As an American team of
scientists has shown recently, infectious prions even arise in
saliva.
Further research with infected animals
This finding coincides with a study conducted recently in this
field by a Swiss prion researcher Adriano Aguzzi, an internationally
recognized specialist.  Aguzzi's research team at the University of
Zurich showed that inflamed udder tissue found in sheep diseased with
scrapie (a prion-induced ovine disease) actually contains infectious
prions. The Alicon team is now continuing research work on the milk
of infected animals. Research findings will show if milk is a
potential carrier of BSE.
A possible answer to such a threat is introduction of a live BSE
test and simultaneous scanning of dairy cows with BSE at an early
stage. Alicon is offering the equipment needed for this. At present
its team is working on completion of a rapid test to identify prions
in milk and milk products.
Thumbnail sketch of Alicon AG
The biotechnology firm Alicon AG is a successful spin-off from the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Alicon AG was
founded in 2004 and specializes in innovative technologies to
identify and filter prions.
In the diagnostics sector, Alicon concentrates on development and
marketing of the first BSE live test. It seeks to increase
bio-security in meat and milk products.
Alicon is developing filtration-technology products to remove
prions from body fluids such as blood plasma and urine. These will
increase bio-security in medications.
Alicon technology is patented worldwide and allows the firm to
market it exclusively worldwide.
(1) Sources
Franscini, N, A.E. Gedaily, U. Matthey, S. Franitza, M. Sy, et al.
(2006) Prion Protein in Milk. PLoS ONE 1(1): e71.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000071

Contact:

Dr. Ralph Zahn
Alicon AG
Wagistrasse 23
8952 Schlieren
Phone: +41/43/495'05'67
Fax: +41/43/495'05'69
E-Mail: info@alicon.ch
Internet: http://www.alicon.ch