June 11, 2005

US checking a possible case of BSE

The US Agriculture Department said it is checking a possible case of mad cow disease in the United States in an animal previously cleared of being infected.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said more tests were needed to confirm the disease, but he emphasized that the animal did not enter the food supply.

Only one case of mad cow disease has been confirmed in the United States, in a dairy cow in Washington state in December 2003. Since then, preliminary tests have indicated the existence of the disease in three cows, but further testing had ruled out mad cow disease.

The department decided this week to perform additional tests, and one of those three -- a beef cow -- turned up positive. Johanns said the department's inspector general recommended the additional testing but did not say why.

A sample from the animal was being sent to an internationally recognized laboratory in Weybridge, England, which provided independent confirmation of the first U.S. case of mad cow disease. The Agriculture Department will also conduct further tests.