Switzerland Reports Case of Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Swiss authorities reported on Tuesday a case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the Grisons region of eastern Switzerland, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Authorities had taken a sample from a 12-year-old cow on February 27 during slaughter as part of a BSE monitoring program. The organisation, based in Paris, stated that tests on the brainstem tissue taken from the cow showed a positive result and classified the case as "atypical." BSE spread among livestock in Britain and other European countries in the 1990s, and the discovery of atypical cases can sometimes lead to temporary trade restrictions.