Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy: An Overview. Program Aid No. 1705

摘要

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), widely referred to as 'mad cow disease,' is a chronic degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of cattle. The disease was first diagnosed in 1986 in the United Kingdom. Since that time, it has been found in many European countries, and also in countries outside of Europe, including Japan, Canada, and the United States. To date, however, more than 95 percent of the total cases worldwide have occurred in the United Kingdom.