In Switzerland, a case of the deadly animal disease mad cow disease (BSE) has been discovered in a cow for the first time in years. The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office in Bern announced on Monday that it was the atypical variant.
“Unlike the classic form, atypical BSE can arise spontaneously and without association with animal meal in animal feed,” says the agency. The body of the sick 12-year-old cow registered for slaughter has been burned and poses no danger to other animals or humans. The case was discovered as part of routine BSE surveillance in the canton of Graubünden.
Causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Eating meat contaminated with BSE can cause fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Feeding animal meal to ruminants has been banned in Switzerland since 1 December 1990 and is also banned in many other countries.
In the late 1980s, BSE was particularly prevalent in Great Britain. There were over 180,000 cases there – going back to feeding contaminated animal meal. Since a higher concentration of pathogens is suspected in the brain, spinal cord and spleen of older animals, these organs must be removed and disposed of at slaughter in the EU since 2001.
Cases in the Netherlands and Spain
Only in February was a case of atypical mad cow disease reported in the Netherlands. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture said the meat had not entered the food chain. The last time there was such a case in the country was in 2011. Almost two weeks later, a BSE case from Spain became known.
Also in February, following a case of atypical mad cow disease, Brazil temporarily suspended beef exports to its largest customer country, China.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
