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A 6-year-old dairy cow in British Columbia may be Canada's
fifth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, after a
Canadian laboratory reported a "preliminary positive" result
in a test of the animal's brain on Thursday. Final results
are not expected until the weekend.
The animal was found on a farm in Fraser Valley as part
of the country's national surveillance plan, and has not
entered the human food supply, officials said.
The find could be significant, because the animal was born
at least two years after Canada imposed a ban on cattle
feed containing bovine protein, a suspected vector of BSE
infection. All previous cases in North America occurred
in animals born before the ban was in place, or involved
animals fed leftover feed or supplements, once the ban was
put in place.
Canadian animal health authorities reported the preliminary
positive result during a press conference. The animal showed
an inconclusive result in its initial test. |
