Second Case of U.S. Case of Mad Cow Disease Confirmed

June 24, 2005 -- A second case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy -- or mad cow disease -- has been found in the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that testing has confirmed the presence of BSE in a sample taken from a downer cow that did not enter the food supply.

While the USDA has tested nearly 375,000 live animals for BSE in the past year, and currently tests 1,000 animals per day, there is no reliable method to detect the disease in a live animal. The incubation period is three to eight years, during which an affected cow may show no signs of infection.

A recent Institute of Medicine report details the most promising approaches to develop such diagnostic tests. Advancing Prion Science: Guidance for the National Prion Research Program also details a number of other measures the federal government could take to protect the nation's cattle from BSE and related diseases and to prevent the conditions' spread when cases occur. Additionally, the report notes that a review of U.S. policy on the use of ruminant tissues known to harbor BSE is appropriate. Canada and the European Union require that these tissues be excluded from the food chains.

• Advancing Prion Science: Guidance for the National Prion Research Program (2004)

• USDA Press Release
• USDA BSE Fact Sheet
• USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service BSE Page
• Mad Cow Disease Information from the FDA ~ frequently asked questions about the disease, the federal government's emergency response plan, and information on blood and food safety measures