Isolated a single case of atypical H-type Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed in a 17 year-old indigenous cow on a beef suckler farm with 54 animals in Cornwall (UK) last Monday 20 March2023.

 

 

The Eurofins laboratory (UK) carry out the antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (AC-ELISA) test of the sample cattle, which were positive on 9 March 2023.

 

 

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Weybridge, United Kingdom confirmed the positivity of the single cattle by antigen detection Western blot (Ag Western blot) test on 17 March 2023.

 

 

The cow was in calf and was found recumbent with no prior history of clinical signs or problems. The animal was humanely euthanized on 27 February 2023 (date of start of the event), and the case was disclosed during routine national TSE statutory surveillance and testing of fallen stock cattle aged over 48 months. The animal was not presented for slaughter and did not enter the food chain. The entire carcass was disposed of as category 1 material.

 

 

Epidemiological investigations are underway. The cohort and offspring of this single atypical BSE case have been identified and placed under movement restrictions. They will be culled and the cohort screened for BSE.

 

 

The last case of BSE in the UK occurred in September 2015.

 

 

Atypical BSE is not contagious and there is no risk to food safety or human health as a result of this isolated case.

 

 

 

In 2015, the OIE determined that atypical BSE occurred spontaneously at a low rate in all cattle populations. This is proof that the UK surveillance system for detecting and containing this type of disease is working.

 

 

The detection of this single case of atypical BSE does not change the UK’s BSE disease risk status.

 

 

Consumers can be reassured that these important protection measures remain in place and that Food Standards Agency Official Veterinarians and Meat Hygiene Inspectors working in all abattoirs in England will continue to ensure that in respect of BSE controls, the safety of consumers remains the top priority.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Gov.UK