Press Release: Reinforcement of BSE monitoring and surveillance through tests

The European Commission adopted 29.3.00 a draft Decision which will reinforce the epidemio-surveillance of BSE in cattle by introducing a monitoring programme from 1st January 2001, through rapid post mortem tests. Three post-mortem tests have been validated by the Commission in 1999. The draft decision will require the Member States to carry out an annual monitoring programmes on a targetted sample of animals, with a particular focus on animals which die on farms, sick animals slaughtered as emergencies and animals displaying behavioural or neurological signs. The test results will provide a more complete picture of the incidence of BSE in the Community and of the patterns of infectivity in the animal population. Similar tests carried out in Switzerland have led to a significant improvement in BSE monitoring in that country.

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