Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as Mad Cow Disease, is a fatal and debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system of cattle. There are several synonyms used to refer to this disease, including transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), bovine spongiform encephalomyelopathy (BSE), and mad cow disease. The disease is caused by an abnormal protein known as a prion, which is able to infect healthy proteins and cause them to fold into the abnormal shape. BSE has been known to jump species and is a concern for public health due to the potential for transmission to humans who consume infected meat. BSE was first identified in the United Kingdom in 1986 and has since spread to other countries throughout the world.