Making the Diagnosis
Live animals cannot be tested for the disease. The only way to confirm the presence of BSE is by checking the brain tissue of an animal after it dies. Upon examination, the brain is found to be full of small holes, like a sponge. That's why this disease is called spongiform.
In humans, a genetic test exists to determine if a person might be susceptible to vCJD, but here too, the only way to confirm the diagnosis is through a sample of brain tissue obtained on biopsy or autopsy.