May 6, 2014

Brazil: 1177 cattle susceptible after BSE outbreak

A bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak in Mato Grosso, Brazil, had left 1177 cattle susceptible, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reported.

The source of the information was from Dr. Figueiredo Marques Guilherme Henrique, Director, Departamento de Saúde Animal, Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuaria e Abastecimento, Brasilia, Brazil.

The date of the start of the event was March 19, 2014, which was nearly four years after the previous occurrence of BSE in December 2010.

The location of the outbreak was in Mato Grosso (Porto Esperidião). The cattle which was infected was destroyed, together with 49 other cattle from the same birth cohort. The apparent morbidity rate and proportion of susceptible animals lost were 0.08% and 4.25% respectively.

However, the origin of infection was unknown or inconclusive. As the event is still continuing, weekly follow-up reports of the outbreak will be submitted.