Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), inaccurately called Mad Cow Disease, is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system of cattle, belonging to the group of disorders known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), which include scrapie in sheep and chronic wasting disease in deer and elk. The cause of BSE is still being debated, but it has been linked to an abnormal protein called a prion. There is no treatment or vaccine currently available for the disease.

News

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) U.S. BSE Report(PDF) - You may also locate this report by clicking here 

USDA Position on BSE(PDF)

USDA Enhanced Surveillance information:

• BSE Enhanced Surveillance (PDF)
• BSE Enhanced Surveillance Q&A's (PDF)
• BSE Enhanced Surveillance test results
• BSE Epidemiology on Second Case daily report

For more information on BSE, please visit the following sites: 

• US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - BSE page
  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse.html
  
• US Food and Drug Administration's BSE page
  http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bse.html
  
• CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) BSE and CJD information and resources
  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cjd/cjd.htm
  
• CDC Fact Sheet
  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cjd/cjd_fact_sheet.htm
  
• National Cattlemen’s Beef Association/Beef Checkoff BSE Information
  www.BSEInfo.org
  
• Center for Consumer Freedom BSE Information
  http://www.consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm/article/137
  
• WHO page on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
  http://www.who.int/emc/diseases/bse
  
• WHO fact sheet
  http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs113/en/
  
• USDA BSE Response Plan Summary (PDF)
  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bsesum.pdf
  
• National Renderers Association Statement on BSE
  http://www.renderers.org/BSE/index.htm
  
• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service BSE Home Page
  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse.html
  
• Office International Des Epizooties Classification of BSE
  http://oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/a_B115.htm
  
• USDA Food Safety Inspection Service BSE News
  http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Bovine_Spongiform_Encephalopathy_BSE/index.asp
  
• USDA/ERS Economic Impact of BSE on the U.S. Economy
  http://www.ers.usda.gov/features/bse/index.htm

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