Source: BBC
An isolated case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, has been confirmed in a cow on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The infection was detected through routine surveillance, and authorities said the animal did not enter the human food chain. Food Standards Scotland reported no risk to human health.
The affected animal was destroyed, and testing is underway to determine the source of the infection. Scottish Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said the rapid identification demonstrated the effectiveness of the country’s disease surveillance system and helped minimize potential effects on the wider cattle industry.
The case comes as farmers in the region are also dealing with separate bluetongue cases, reinforcing concerns about livestock disease surveillance. Although BSE cases have become rare in the United Kingdom, the disease caused a major epidemic during the 1980s and 1990s, ultimately affecting an estimated 180,000 cattle and resulting in 4.4 million cattle being slaughtered.
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