Japanese authorities find 11th suspected case of mad cow disease
TOKYO (AP) - Japanese authorities found Thursday a cow suspected of being infected with mad cow disease - the second such discovery in two weeks.
If confirmed, it would be Japan's 11th discovery of the fatal brain-wasting disease, known formally as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE. The 16½-year-old beef cow was screened Thursday after being brought to a slaughterhouse in northern Japan, Miyagi prefectural government official Zenjiro Oyamada said.
Initial testing showed positive signs of the disease, he said. More detailed testing is to be conducted by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Friday, Oyamada said.
The cow had difficulty standing up from about a week ago - one possible symptom of mad cow disease - but caretakers believed that could be because of the cow's age, he said.
Two weeks ago, authorities had announced a similar case - the first in more than three months. Shortly afterward it was confirmed as the nation's 10th case of mad cow disease.
Japan was the first country in September 2001 to find an infected cow outside of Europe, where it has devastated cattle farms.
Under a comprehensive screening system put in place after the outbreak three years ago, Japan tests every animal that is killed before it enters the food supply. Tokyo has also banned the use of meat and bonemeal - made from ruminant animal parts - in cattle feed, which authorities believe led to the outbreak.
The sick animal, born before the meat-and-bonemeal ban went into effect, was the fourth to turn up in Miyagi prefecture, about 300 kilometres northeast of Tokyo. Authorities were investigating possible infection routes.
Japan has credited its mad cow surveillance as a necessary, if expensive, precaution. Tokyo has banned American beef imports since the first U.S. mad cow case was discovered in Washington state in December, and has demanded that the United States adopt a blanket testing system before Tokyo will reopen its market - the most lucrative for U.S. beef before the ban.
TOKYO (AP) - Japanese authorities found Thursday a cow suspected of being infected with mad cow disease - the second such discovery in two weeks.
If confirmed, it would be Japan's 11th discovery of the fatal brain-wasting disease, known formally as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE. The 16½-year-old beef cow was screened Thursday after being brought to a slaughterhouse in northern Japan, Miyagi prefectural government official Zenjiro Oyamada said.
Initial testing showed positive signs of the disease, he said. More detailed testing is to be conducted by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Friday, Oyamada said.
The cow had difficulty standing up from about a week ago - one possible symptom of mad cow disease - but caretakers believed that could be because of the cow's age, he said.
Two weeks ago, authorities had announced a similar case - the first in more than three months. Shortly afterward it was confirmed as the nation's 10th case of mad cow disease.
Japan was the first country in September 2001 to find an infected cow outside of Europe, where it has devastated cattle farms.
Under a comprehensive screening system put in place after the outbreak three years ago, Japan tests every animal that is killed before it enters the food supply. Tokyo has also banned the use of meat and bonemeal - made from ruminant animal parts - in cattle feed, which authorities believe led to the outbreak.
The sick animal, born before the meat-and-bonemeal ban went into effect, was the fourth to turn up in Miyagi prefecture, about 300 kilometres northeast of Tokyo. Authorities were investigating possible infection routes.
Japan has credited its mad cow surveillance as a necessary, if expensive, precaution. Tokyo has banned American beef imports since the first U.S. mad cow case was discovered in Washington state in December, and has demanded that the United States adopt a blanket testing system before Tokyo will reopen its market - the most lucrative for U.S. beef before the ban.