What is the risk of getting new variant Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease (nvCJD) from BSE?
The current risk of acquiring nvCJD from eating beef (muscle meat) and beef products produced from cattle in Europe cannot be precisely determined, however in the UK, this current risk appears to be extremely small at about one case per 10 billion servings of beef. In the other countries of Europe, this current risk, if it exists at all, would not be any higher than that in the UK, and in most cases considerably smaller. The U.S. CDC statistics suggest Portugal may harbor a risk similar to the UK, and it is noted as having less experience with implementing the BSE-related public health control measures. In the 12-month period ending June 15, 2000, Portugal had about half the reported incidence of BSE cases per one million adult cattle as that reported in the United Kingdom. In June 2000, the European Union Commission on Food Safety and Animal Welfare adopted a decision requiring all member states to remove from animal feed and human food chains any materials considered at risk for harb
