Authorities in Brazil have announced two diagnoses of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in each of Mato Grosso and Minas Gerais states. According to initial reports, both cases are regarded as sporadic as they were diagnosed in cows over the age of 10 years. The cases in breeding herds were sampled at slaughter in accordance with the Brazilian BSE Surveillance System and confirmed by a reference laboratory in Lethbridge, Canada in September.
China has suspended beef imports from Brazil in accordance with a bilateral protocol. A specific date for implementation will be announced.
Sporadic BSE is a rare diagnosis caused by Prion H, invariably in a bovine over 10 years of age. The sporadic form of the condition should be differentiated from bovine spongiform encephalopathy in animals under 5 years of age resulting from consumption feed contaminated with the bovine prion responsible for neurodegenerative changes. A major outbreak of BSE occurred in the U.K. during the late 1990's accompanied by cases of the human analog, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
Authorities in Brazil should disclose the circumstances by which two cases of the sporadic form of BSE were diagnosed apparently within one week in June in two separate states and why a disclosure was delayed until September.