In what could be the first such case in Andhra Pradesh, a 30-year-old woman from Ipurupalem village, near Chirala, was diagnosed with the mad cow disease at the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Guntur on Tuesday.

The Times of India reported:

The condition of the woman is said to be very critical and the doctors said chances of her recovery are remote...Daily wage labourer K Ratna Kumari is learnt to have started losing her mental balance six months ago. Worried, her family took her to all noted private and government hospitals in Prakasam district. As Kumari's condition deteriorated, she was admitted to GGH about a fortnight ago.

The mad cow disease, scientifically known as Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), is a fatal disease in cattle that causes an eventual degeneration of the brain and spinal cord.

The disease is most easily transmitted to human beings, who consume the infected meat. The origin of the disease remains unknown and many countries saw an outbreak in the 1990s, but the numbers soon declined, after strict measures by various governments.   

Speaking to Ahmedabad Mirror, Dr Sundarachary, neurologist at the GGH, said "We have confirmed bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by the symptoms. Establishing it through diagnosis is not possible as it requires a brain biopsy, which is unethical in India."

He also went on to add that eating beef is not the sole reason for the disease, and it could also be transmitted genetically.

Kumari is currently in isolation.