February 13, 2023

BSE discovered in northwestern region of Galicia, Spain

Spain has detected atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dead cow in the northwestern region of Galicia, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on February 10.

The disease, commonly called mad cow disease, was found after a 22-year-old cow was euthanised due to signs of illness not related to BSE, WOAH said, citing information from the Spanish authorities.

The case, which was isolated, "didn't enter the food chain and so didn't represent any risk for public health or require any preventive health measure," Galicia's regional health service said on its website.

A mad cow disease case, also of the old age variant, was recently found in the Netherlands.

Atypical case of mad cow disease occurs sporadically and spontaneously in older cows, while the other variant, the classic and dreaded type of infection, is usually caused by contaminated animal feed.

- Reuters