Changes

==Control==

==Control==

BSE is extremely difficult to control due to its long incubation period and the fact that the altered prions are extremely resistant to heat and chemicals.  Stringent preventive measures are in place to stop the spread of the disease, prevent cattle and human exposure and to eradicate BSE from the animal population.  The most important of these measures has been the feed ban issued in 1988, prohibiting the feeding of ruminant derived meat and bone meal (MBM) to ruminants <ref name= Hoinville, 1994">. Decline in the incidence of BSE in cattle born after the introduction of the 'feed ban'. Veterinary Record, 134(11):274-275; 12 ref. .</ref> and the adoption of the ban by the EU in 1994.  Post mortem testing schemes and culling of infected cohort animals have also helped to reduce the spread of BSE.  So far they have resulted in a significant decrease in the number of BSE cases in the UK and other affected countries. Currently, the number of cases in the UK is decreasing.  

BSE is extremely difficult to control due to its long incubation period and the fact that the altered prions are extremely resistant to heat and chemicals.  Stringent preventive measures are in place to stop the spread of the disease, prevent cattle and human exposure and to eradicate BSE from the animal population.  The most important of these measures has been the feed ban issued in 1988, prohibiting the feeding of ruminant derived meat and bone meal (MBM) to ruminants <ref name= Hoinville, 1994">Hoinville, L.J. (1994) '''Decline in the incidence of BSE in cattle born after the introduction of the 'feed ban'.''''' Veterinary Record,'' 134(11):274-275; 12 ref.</ref> and the adoption of the ban by the EU in 1994.  Post mortem testing schemes and culling of infected cohort animals have also helped to reduce the spread of BSE.  So far they have resulted in a significant decrease in the number of BSE cases in the UK and other affected countries. Currently, the number of cases in the UK is decreasing.  

For countries that are BSE free, preventative measures are ruminant to ruminant feed ban, import controls and surveillance.

For countries that are BSE free, preventative measures are ruminant to ruminant feed ban, import controls and surveillance.

To reduce the risk to humans developing variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) all visible nervous

To reduce the risk to humans developing variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) all visible nervous

and lymphatic tissue that are classified as specified risk materials (SRM) are removed during the processing of cattle as well as the removal of any suspect animals from the human food chain.  Specified risk material of cattle includes: brain, eyes (retina), trigeminal ganglia, the spinal cord, the dorsal root ganglia, mesentery, intestines (duodenum to rectum) and tonsils.  SRM in sheep and goats include: spleen, ileum, spinal cord, brain, eyes and tonsils.  In 1996, cattle over the age of 30 months were eliminated from the food chain within the UK under the ‘over thirty months scheme’ (OTMS).  This ban has now been lifted and it is now compulsory to test all cattle over the age of 48months for BSE.

and lymphatic tissue that are classified as specified risk materials (SRM) are removed during the processing of cattle as well as the removal of any suspect animals from the human food chain.  Specified risk material of cattle includes: brain, eyes (retina), trigeminal ganglia, the spinal cord, the dorsal root ganglia, mesentery, intestines (duodenum to rectum) and tonsils.  SRM in sheep and goats include: spleen, ileum, spinal cord, brain, eyes and tonsils.  In 1996, cattle over the age of 30 months were eliminated from the food chain within the UK under the ‘over thirty months scheme’ (OTMS).  This ban has now been lifted and it is now compulsory to test all cattle over the age of 48months for BSE.

==Refereneces==

==Refereneces==