What is the origin of BSE and what is its incidence in the EU?
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is a disease of the brain in cattle. It was first diagnosed in the UK in 1986. It reached epidemic proportions due to the inclusion in cattle feed of meat and bone meal produced from animal carcasses. Up to 28 February 2001, there have been 180,903 cases in the UK and 1,924 cases elsewhere in the European Union. While the incidence of BSE has been decreasing in the UK, it is actually rising in a number of other Member States as a result of the introduction of more systematic testing for BSE. Nonetheless the total number of BSE cases remains extremely low in other Member States in comparison with the UK.
