Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) - EFSA - European Union

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.