BSE can strike anywhere: E.U. Minister

By Vaiju Naravane

PARIS, DEC. 5. Dr. Franz Fischler, the European Commissioner (Minister) for Agriculture, today said that ``spontaneous mutation'' of prions leading to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) could occur anywhere in the world, not just in Europe. He also admitted that the highly resistant prions could enter the water tables and cause contamination through soil and earth.

Citing a new scientific report just released in London, Dr Fischler said: ``The widespread nature of the disease in countries like the U.K. was mainly because of the use of meat and bone meal.

But the disease can also be caused by a spontaneous mutation and if it is a spontaneous mutation, it can appear anywhere in the world. This is the last position of the scientists. So, therefore, if you don't detect a BSE case in a country, it does not automatically mean that that country is BSE- free forever.''

This was why, he explained, the E.U. had decided to conduct systematic testing of animals of over 30 months in all member states whether they had reported BSE cases or not. Describing the BSE prion as ``very resistant'', Dr. Fischler said: ``If an animal is fed with infected feed, then the disease can go from one animal to another via the water table.

One cannot exclude that. And this is an additional argument to ban the use of Meat and Bone Meal (MBM). If MBM is excluded from their diet, then this danger would not exist any more.

It would mean a cleaning up of the water table and the infection would not remain in the water table any more.''

Asked whether the E.U. Commission had decided to alert other nations about the latest findings concerning the BSE prion's possible ``spontaneous mutation'', the Commissioner said: ``It is clear that this new hypothesis turned up by the scientists will be a matter of discussion in the International Veterinary Organisation and they will also consider what should be done on an international level.''

From July next year, the E.U. will carry out 6-7 million BSE tests. The entire operation of destroying those animals which test positive, of destroying the meat and bone meal, buying up animals for destruction so as not to penalise farmers and the import of some three million tonnes of soybean to replace MBM will cost the E.U. an estimated 1.23 euros, he said.

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Section  : International
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