Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

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Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a disease in cattle. It belongs to a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases affecting humans and animals called transmissible Capable of being passed between individuals in the same species, as well as between different species (e.g. from animals to humans). spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). They are caused by the abnormal form of a cell protein A type of molecule composed of complex strings of amino acids (protein building blocks). called prion An infectious agent, prions are abnormal proteins that can be transferred between species attacking cellular proteins found mostly in the brain. protein (PrP). Since the discovery of BSE in cattle, only two cases have been confirmed in species A subdivision of the genus, a species is a group of closely related and similar-looking organisms; for example, in the case of Homo sapiens (humans), the second part of the name (sapiens) represents the species. other than cattle: one goat in France and one goat in the UK.

BSE was first discovered in 1986. Since 1989, the European Commission and the EU Member States have put in place a comprehensive series of measures to manage the risk of BSE in the EU.

BSE has three different presentations: classical BSE, H-type atypical BSE and L-type atypical BSE. Classical BSE is the only form that can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat causing variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which was first diagnosed in 1996.

Classical BSE

The epidemic A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time. of BSE (now known as classical BSE) started in 1986 in the UK. It was first a European and later a global problem affecting cattle. Epidemiological studies suggested that the source of the disease in cattle was feed containing BSE-infected processed protein (meat and bone meal).

The common symptoms of classical BSE in cattle include behavioural changes, lack of coordination, difficulty in walking or standing up, decreased milk production and weight loss. However, the disease has also been detected in animals showing no symptoms.

Milestones

2020
October
EFSA assesses the potential BSE risk posed by the use of ruminant collagen and gelatine in feed for non‐ruminant farmed animals.
2018
July
EFSA publishes a scientific opinion Opinions include risk assessments on general scientific issues, evaluations of an application for the authorisation of a product, substance or claim, or an evaluation of a risk assessment. on the risk of BSE posed by processed animal protein (PAP) in feed.
2017
July
EFSA publishes a scientific opinion on the origin of the 60 cases of classical BSE reported in cattle born after the EU ban on the use of animal proteins in livestock feed was enforced in 2001. Experts concluded that contaminated feed was the most likely source of infection. A second possibility was that contaminated feed ingredients may have been imported from non-EU countries. They could not rule out other causes due to the difficulty of investigating individual cases.
2014
July
EFSA develops a laboratory protocol on how to conduct new studies for investigating the presence of the agent of Atypical BSE in tissues of infected cattle.
2012
October
EFSA gives scientific and technical assistance on the minimum sample size to test should an annual BSE statistical testing regime be authorised in healthy slaughtered cattle.

EFSA's role

EFSA’s role is to provide independent scientific advice to risk managers on all animal and public health-related aspects of BSE, and TSE in general, in the EU. Most of EFSA’s work is based on requests from the European Commission.

EFSA monitors the evolution of BSE in the EU and assesses the impact of the progressive lift of the feed ban, which prohibits the use of animal proteins in feed for farmed animals.