Canada Confirms Fifth BSE case

OTTAWA - Apr 17/06 - SNS -- Canada's fifth case of a cow infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed through additional screening tests in a Winnipeg laboratory.

No meat from the dairy cow entered the food chain. However, milk from the cow was sold to dairies during the animal's lifetime, something which government officials say should not concern consumers as milk is not recognized as a disease pathway.

Preliminary investigations conducted prior to receiving final results identified the animal's exact date of birth and birth farm — two critical elements required to trace other animals of interest, as defined by the World Organization for Animal Health.

With the confirmed positive results and this information already in hand, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has immediately undertaken the animal component of its investigation on a priority basis.

This animal, a six-year-old dairy cow, developed BSE after the implementation of Canada's feed ban. Similar situations are common to almost all BSE-affected countries that have introduced feed controls. An enhanced feed ban would accelerate the eradication of BSE in Canada. Accordingly, the CFIA has published proposed regulatory amendments, and following extensive consultations, is now in the process of finalizing their content.

The CFIA is also conducting a thorough examination of potential sources of infection. Investigators will pay particular attention to the feed to which the animal may have been exposed early in its life, when cattle are most susceptible to BSE. The CFIA is collecting records of feed purchased by and used on the animal's birth farm. As in previous investigations, the CFIA will also fully consider all other scientific pathways in an attempt to definitively determine how the animal became infected.

The feed ban and national surveillance program which identified this animal, contribute to Canada's interlocking BSE controls. While the feed ban continues to limit the spread of BSE, Canada's national surveillance program effectively monitors the health of the Canadian cattle herd. The national surveillance program, which targets cattle most at risk of having BSE, has tested more than 100,000 such animals since 2003. The detection of only five animals within this high-risk population over the past three years and the age of the animals detected supports the conclusion that the level of BSE in Canada is very low and declining.