World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) officials reported a single case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Germany.
The 14-year-old cow was tested at a regional BSE laboratory in Bavaria as part of the German targeted BSE surveillance system. According to OIE, the cow showed no clinical signs of the disease.
A brainstem sample was sent to the Friedrich Loeffler Institute in Germany, which confirmed the atypical case of BSE on Sept. 29.
“The animal’s carcass was destroyed,” the OIE said. “The identified animal did not enter food supply channels, and so at no time did it present any risk to human health. Epidemiological investigations are still ongoing.”
The last case of atypical BSE in Germany was in 2014.
