Veterinary authorities reported that a 9-year old dead cow tested positive on routine surveillance for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The cow died on its home farm showing incoordination and was destroyed. No parts entered the food chain. The last case detected in the Netherlands was in 2011.

Appropriate reaction by the Ministry of Agriculture included a quarantine on the farm and a trace forward of progeny from the affected herd.

The diagnosis was confirmed by the National Research Laboratory at Wageninging University  applying the TeSeE SAP ELISA CombiKit manufactured by Biorad. The investigation confirmed Type-L prion consistent with a spontaneous case and corresponding to extremely rare deaths in old cows  that have occurred in Canada, the U.S. and Brazil over the past two decades.

Investigations initiated as a result of the diagnosis of sporadic BSE in Holland, include trace- back of cohorts fed similar feed and birth cohorts over the past two years.

Classic BSE unlike the present spontaneous case, during the late 1980s resulted in depopulation of 4.5 to 5 million cattle in the U.K and a few animals in the E.U. Approximately 200 fatalities from CJD were recorded in the U.K. population The outbreak resulted in introduction of strict regulations to prevent consumption of specified organs, surveillance of “downers” and rules to ensure that ruminants are not fed meat and bone meal from cattle.