November
18, 2004
Early this morning, we were notified that an inconclusive
BSE test result was received on a rapid screening test
used as part of our enhanced BSE surveillance program.
The inconclusive result does not mean we have found another
case of BSE in this country. Inconclusive results are
a normal component of screening tests, which are designed
to be extremely sensitive so they will detect any sample
that could possibly be positive.
Tissue samples are now being sent to USDA's National Veterinary
Services Laboratories "the national BSE reference
lab which will run confirmatory testing.
Because this test is only an inconclusive test result,
we are not disclosing details specific to this test at
this time.
APHIS has begun internal steps to begin initial tracebacks,
if further testing were to return a positive result. However,
it is important to note, that this animal did not enter
the food or feed chain.
Confirmatory results are expected back from NVSL within
the next 4 to 7 days. If the test comes back positive
for BSE, we will provide additional information about
the animal and its origin.
USDA remains confident in the safety of the U.S. beef
supply. Our ban on specified risk materials from the human
food chain provides the protection to public health, should
another case of BSE ever be detected in the United States.
Screening tests are often used in both human and animal
health and inconclusives are not unexpected. These tests
cast a very wide net and many end up negative during further
testing.
And some subset of these animals may even turn out to
be positive for BSE. While none of us wants to see that
happen, that is not unexpected either. Our surveillance
program is designed to test as many animals as we can
in the populations that are considered to be at high risk
for BSE.
Additional measures to strengthen public health safeguards
include the longstanding ban on imports of live cattle,
other ruminants, and most ruminant products from high-risk
countries; FDA's 1997 prohibition on the use of most mammalian
protein in cattle feed; an aggressive surveillance program
that has been in place for more than a decade; the banning
of non-ambulatory cattle from the human food chain; the
process control requirement for establishments using advanced
meat recovery (AMR) systems; prohibiting the air-injection
stunning of cattle; and, if an animal presented for slaughter
is sampled for BSE, holding the carcass until the test
results have been confirmed negative.
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USDA
News
Email: oc.news@usda.gov
Phone: (202) 720-4623
