spongiform encephalopathy in young humans

[MATTHEW FRANCIS WETTLAUFER]

VANCAMPE at UWYO.EDU wrote:
: Dear Anyone:  I've heard a rumor through the grapevine that 3 cases of
: spongiform encephalopathy have been diagnosed in young (teenage) humans in the
: U.K.  There is some mention of possible links to the ingestion of unpasteurized
: milk and bovine brains by two of these patients.  The report is supposed to be
: in Lancet.  Anyone have a reference or can confirm?  Thank you in advance, Hana
I haven't read any articles about it but it would make sense if you 
consider the outbreak of "mad cow disease" in the U.K. during the 
mid-1980's when up to 130,000 head of cattle had to be destroyed because 
they had become infected with prions from sheep mulch.
Spongiform encephalopathies have very long incubation periods, 5 to 8 
years, so there was and still is speculation over whether a species leap 
could take place between cows and humans (as it did between sheep and cows).
Don't know if any of this info. helps.
Matt Wettlaufer