AR-News: Scrapie/BSE association

[Ronda Roaring]

BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (ATYPICAL CASE) IN JAPAN

See also: 24 January 2003, 17 May 2002

Emergency report

Information received on 7 October 2003 from Dr Masako Kurimoto, Director of Animal Health and Animal Products Safety Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo:

Report date: 7 October 2003.

Nature of diagnosis: laboratory.

Date of initial detection of animal health incident: 6 October 2003.

Outbreaks:
LocationNo. of outbreaksIbaraki prefecture1
Description of affected population: a Holstein bullock aged twenty-three months slaughtered at the abattoir on 29 September 2003.

Total number of animals in the outbreak:
speciessusceptiblecasesdeathsdestroyedslaughteredbov...10...1
Diagnosis:

- The brain sample from the bullock tested positive to the ELISA-based bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) screening test, and was sent to the National Institute of Infectious Disease for confirmation, where it was subjected to Western blot analysis, histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. Based on the results of these tests, it was concluded, on 6 October 2003, that this was a case of atypical BSE.

- Western blot analysis revealed the presence of PrPsc (scrapie-associated prion protein); the pattern of glycoform and the relative protease resistance of PrPsc were different from those normally encountered in BSE. The results of the histopathological examination and immunohistochemical examination were negative.

- In order to confirm the biological characteristics, such as transmissibility, inoculation into laboratory animals will be carried out.

A. Laboratories where diagnosis was made:

- Kenhoku Meat Inspection Centre (Ibaraki Prefecture).

- National Institute of Infectious Disease (Tokyo).

B. Diagnostic tests used: ELISA test, Western blot analysis, histopathological and immunohistochemical examination.

C. Causal agent: PrPsc.

Source of agent / origin of infection: epidemiological investigation of the feed used on the farm.

Control measures:

- Quarantine.

- Identification of all animals that were kept with the infected animal.

(1) ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.



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