Missouri Department of Agriculture's Press Release - Continue BSE Surveillance In Light of Washington Case

For Immediate Release:
December 24, 2003

For more information contact:
Sally Oxenhandler, public information officer
Phone: (573) 751-8596 Fax: (573) 751-5002

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) - Officials with the Missouri departments of Agriculture and Health and Senior Services are working with their federal counterparts to monitor details surrounding yesterday's announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of a presumptive positive case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in a Washington state dairy cow.

Peter Hofherr, director of the state agriculture department, Dr. Taylor Woods, state veterinarian, and Dr. Howard Pue, public health veterinarian with the Department of Health and Senior Services, met today to coordinate the state's response efforts now that a presumptive positive case of the disease, BSE, commonly referred to as mad cow disease, has been identified in the United States.

"The bottom line is that we have never had a case of BSE in Missouri, and we do not believe there is a threat to public health because of this recent finding," said Hofherr. "The department has had a significant surveillance program in place to monitor for BSE since 1997. If anything, this finding shows that the national safeguards we have in place to detect BSE are working."

Feed made from ruminant animal by-products has been regarded as a potential cause for BSE and has been banned in the United States since 1997. Since then, the department has actively inspected feed manufacturers for compliance with the ban at least once a year, Hofherr said.

In addition to the feed ban, active disease testing and vigilant, extensive import restrictions have been in place for a number of years. State and federal inspectors take several hundred samples of nervous system tissue monthly from animals at risk for the disease, including dairy cattle, which consume more prepared feed, and aged or sick animals.

"Because of the significant surveillance in place to monitor for both animal and human disease, we do not think there is a public health threat at this time," said Dr. Howard Pue, Missouri's state public health veterinarian. "We do not anticipate this finding to become a human health concern, and view it as an isolated event. We are also confident in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's steps to recall the meat from the potentially infected animal, which takes precautionary measures against this disease one step further."

Scientific findings show the disease is not transmitted through the muscle cuts of meat, such as roasts and steaks, commonly eaten by Americans, but through nervous system tissues such as the brain and spinal cord. Furthermore, scientific evidence shows the disease is not transmitted from animal to animal or to the milk from cows infected with the disease.

Washington state and federal officials are still working to identify the cow's herd of origin, and the USDA has recalled more than 10,000 pounds of beef from 20 animals that were slaughtered at the same facility on the same day as the cow in question. None of that meat was sent to Missouri.

Most beef cows slaughtered in Missouri are used for personal consumption, said Dr. Taylor Woods, the state's veterinarian. In addition, meat found in Missouri grocery stores comes from state or federally inspected plants, both of which have strict monitoring protocols for BSE.

Hofherr encouraged producers to be on heightened alert because of the federal government's increase in the national security threat level, but said there is absolutely no reason to believe the BSE case is related to terrorism.

"We can't stress enough how important it is for people to continue to include beef in their diets and to make informed decisions about this situation with information from credible sources," Hofherr said. "It is important that we support Missouri cattle producers at this time, as the news of the presumptive positive case will no doubt have an impact on market prices."

Most Missouri markets will take a break from trading during the holidays, which should give time for the markets to stabilize following the announcement of the presumptive positive case, said Hofherr.

"At this time, I urge Missourians to enjoy the holidays and rest assured that all of us involved with Missouri's agricultural industry are working to ensure our food supply remains safe," Hofherr said.

BSE, also known as "mad cow disease," is a progressive neurological disorder of cattle that results from infection by a transmissible agent, which is a modified form of a normal cell surface component known as the "prion protein." The disease is named for the spongy appearance of the brain tissue of infected cattle when sections are examined under a microscope.

Affected animals display changes in temperament, such as nervousness and/or aggression, abnormal posture, lack of coordination, difficulty in rising, and loss of body condition.

Additional information on BSE can be found on the USDA's web site at www.usda.gov.

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