Bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known
as “mad cow disease,” is a chronic,
degenerative neurological disorder affecting the
central nervous system of cattle. BSE belongs
to a family of diseases known as the transmissible
spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). The disease
was first diagnosed in 1986 in Great Britain.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
is enforcing import restrictions and is conducting
surveillance for BSE to ensure that this serious
disease does not become established in the United
States.
BSE
Surveillance Test Results from the program designed
as a one-time effort to provide a snapshot of the domestic
cattle population to help define whether BSE is present
in the United States, and if so, help calculate at what
level.
