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 B
B. Measures taken to prevent the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to humans
| Precautions | Great Britaina | European Uniona | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory slaughter of BSE-affected cattle | Aug 1988 | ||
| Destroy milk from affected cattle (except for milk fed to cows' own calves) | Dec 1988 | ||
| Ban on import of UK cattle born after July 1988 feed ban | Jul 1989 | ||
| Ban on SBOb for domestic consumption | Nov 1989 | ||
| Ban on export to EUc of SBO and certain other tissues, including lymph nodes, pituitaries, and serum | Apr 1990 | Apr 1990 | |
| Ban on export of live UK cattle (except calves <6 months old) | Jun 1990 | June 1990 | |
| Ban on use of head meat after skull opened | Mar 1992 | ||
| FDA recommends use of BSE/scrapie-free sources for materials used in dietary supplements; request for safety plans | Nov 1992 | ||
| Cell lines used for biologicals should be BSE agent-free | May 1993 | ||
| FDA requests that bovine source materials (except gelatin) used in manufacture of regulated products be restricted to BSE-free countries | Dec 1993 | ||
| Bone-in beef only from farms with no BSE for 6 years; if not BSE-free, must be deboned with visible nervous and lymphatic tissue removed | July 1994 | ||
| FDA requests that bovine-derived materials for animal use or for cosmetics and dietary supplements not be sourced from BSE countries | Aug 1994 | ||
| Thymus and intestines from calves <6 months old made SBO | Nov 1994 | ||
| Import of beef only from UK cattle 1) >30 months, or 2) from herds BSE-free for 6 years, or 3) if not BSE-free, deboned with visible nervous tissue and specified lymph nodes removed | July 1995 | ||
| SBO ban broadened to include whole skull (SBM) | Aug 1995 | ||
| MRMd from bovine vertebral column banned and export prohibited | Dec 1995 | ||
| Removal of lymph nodes and visible nervous tissue from bovine meat >30 months exported to EU | Jan 1996 | ||
| Ban on export of all UK cattle and cattle products except milk | Mar 1996 | ||
| SBMe ban broadened to include entire head (excluding uncontaminated tongue) | Mar 1996 | ||
| Slaughtered cattle >30 months (or certain beef cattle >42 months) ruled unfit for animal or human use (hides excepted) | Mar 1996 | ||
| FDA urges manufacturers of FDA-regulated human products to take steps to assure freedom from BSE agent | May 1996 | ||
| Partial lifting of export ban on tallow and gelatin | June 1996 | ||
| SBM ban broadened to include certain sheep and goat heads, spleens, and spinal cords (SRM) | Sep 1996 | ||
| FDA recommends withdrawal of plasma and plasma products made from pools to which persons who later died of CJD had contributed | Dec 1996 | ||
| CNSf tissues excluded from cosmetic products for use in EU | Jan 1997 | ||
| BSE cohort cattle in UK ordered slaughtered and destroyed | Jan 1997 | ||
| Proposed ban on SRMg in cosmetics for use in EU (effective October 2000) | July 1997 | ||
| SBM controls for cosmetics and medicinal products | Mar 1997 | ||
| FDA request to manufacturers that no bovine gelatin from BSE countries be used in injectable, implantable, or ophthalmic products; and that special precautions be applied to gelatin for oral and topical use | Sep/Dec 1997 | ||
| Ban on marketing cosmetic products containing SRM prepared before April 1, 1998 | Mar 1998 | ||
| Allow export of beef and beef products from cattle >30 months in certified BSE-free herds from Northern Ireland | Mar 1998 | ||
| Importation of all plasma and plasma products for use in UK | Aug 1998 | ||
| FDA limits plasma product withdrawals to pools at risk for contamination by vCJD donors | Sep 1998 | ||
| Slaughter and destruction of offspring born to BSE-affected cattle after July 1996 | Jan 1999 | ||
| FDA guidance to defer blood donors with >6 months cumulative residence in UK during 1980-1996 | Nov 1999 | ||
| Leukodepletion of whole blood donations from UK residents | Jul/Nov 1999 | ||
| Public FDA discussion about possible risk associated with vaccines produced with bovine-derived materials from BSE countries | Jul 2000 | ||
| Withdrawal and destruction of a potentially tainted 1989 lot of polio vaccine from one manufacturer | Oct 2000 | ||
| SRM ban implemented (effective October 2000) | Jul 2000 | ||
| Ban on slaughter techniques that could contaminate cattle carcasses with brain emboli (e.g., pithing or pneumatic stun guns), effective Jan 2001 | Jul 2000 | ||
| All cattle >30 months old must have brain examinations for proteinase-resistant protein (PrP) before entering the food chain (effective Jan-June 2001) | 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, tonsils, spleen, and intestines from cattle >6 months old).
cEU = European Union.
dMRM = mechanically recovered meat.
eSBM = Specified bovine materials (SBO plus entire head, including eyes but excluding tongue).
fCNS = central nervous system.
gSRM = specified risk materials (SBM plus sheep and goat heads and spleens from animals of any age, and spinal cords from animals >1 year old).
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