Germany reports rare form of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cow
A cow tested positive for a rare form of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) as part of the German targeted BSE, or mad cow disease surveillance system, according to a World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) report Jan. 17.
According to the OIE notice, the case of BSE, classified as atypical (L-type), was identified in a cow at slaughter by the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute (FLI) by western blot. The L-type, is a very rare form of the disease not generally associated with an animal consuming infected feed.
The epidemiological investigation into the case notes that the cow was slaughtered at the age of ten years and five months without clinical signs of disease. In addition, seven offspring cattle, five of which were already slaughtered and two of which were still on the farm of origin and have been killed and destroyed.
The animal never entered the food supply chain so posed no danger to human health, the OIE report states.
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