Volume 7, Number 1—February 2001
Perspective
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: Background, Evolution, and Current Concerns
Paul Brown*
, Robert G. Will†, Raymond Bradley‡, David M. Asher§, and Linda Detwiler¶
, Robert G. Will†, Raymond Bradley‡, David M. Asher§, and Linda Detwiler¶Appendix A
A. Measures taken to prevent the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to animals
| European | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Precautions | Great Britaina | Uniona | United States |
| BSE made a notifiable disease | Jun 1988 | Apr 1990 | Nov 1987 |
| BSE surveillance, with histologic examination of brains | Jun 1988 | May 1990 | May 1990 |
| Ban on ruminant protein in ruminant feed | Jul 1988 | ||
| Ban on export of UK cattle born before July 1988 feed ban | Jul 1989 | ||
| Ban on import of live ruminants and most ruminant products from all BSE countries | Jul/Nov 1989 | ||
| Ban on export of UK cattle >6 months of age | Mar 1990 | ||
| Ban on SBOb for use in animal nutrition; ban on export of SBO and feed containing SBO to EUc countries | Sep 1990 | ||
| High-risk waste to be rendered at 133°C/3 bar/20 min (or other approved procedure) | Nov 1990 | ||
| Ban on export of SBO and feed containing SBO to non-EU countries | Jul 1991 | ||
| Ban on MBMd from SBO in fertilizer | Nov 1991 | ||
| After Jan 1, 1995, rendering methods must sterilize BSE | Jun 1994 | ||
| Ban on mammalian MBM in ruminant feed | Jul 1994 | ||
| BSE surveillance includes immunohistologic features of brains | Oct 1993 | ||
| Ban on mammalian protein in ruminant feede | Nov 1994 | Aug 1997 | |
| Ban on import of live ruminants and most ruminant products (including meat products) from all countries of Europe | Dec 1997 | ||
| Immunologic testing for ruminant protein in animal feed | Jul 1995 | ||
| Mammalian MBM prohibited from all animal feed/fertilizer | Mar/Apr 1996 | ||
| Slaughtered cattle >30 months old (except certain beef cattle >42 months old) ruled unfit for animal use (hides for leather excluded) | Mar 1996 | ||
| Mammalian MBM and MBM-containing feed recalled | Jun 1996 | ||
| All mammalian waste to be rendered at 133°C/3 bar/20 min (or other approved procedure) | Jul 1996 | ||
| Cattle tracing system improved | Sep 1998 | ||
| Quarantine of 3 sheep flocks imported from Europe with possible exposure to BSE (4 animals die with atypical TSEf) | Oct 1998 | ||
| BSE surveillance of fallen stock (downer cows) is intensified | Oct 1998 | ||
| Proposal to eradicate scrapie is rejuvenated | Nov 1999 | ||
| Allow export of deboned beef from cattle >30 months old born after July 1996 | Aug 1999 | ||
| Prohibit use of animal protein, including MBM and blood meal (but excluding milk, or fish meal for nonruminants) in feed for any farmed animal species (effective January 1, 2001) | Dec 2000 | ||
| Prohibit importation of rendered protein and rendering wastes originating or processed in Europe | Dec 2000 |
aIn Northern Ireland and Scotland, dates of implementation sometimes differed from those shown for England and Wales; in addition, individual European Union countries often adopted different measures on different dates.
bSBO = specified bovine offals (brain, spinal cord, thymus, tonsil, spleen, and intestines from cattle >6 months of age).
cEU = European Union.
dMBM = meat and bone meal (protein residue produced by rendering).
eSome exemptions, e.g., milk, blood, and gelatin.
fTSE = transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.
