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Bulletin No. 15 - Summer 2003
Miscelleanous- No Category
MATTHEWS D, COOKE BC
The potential for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in non-ruminant livestock and fish
Rev Sci Tech Off Int Epiz 2003 22: 283-296
BSE affected domestic cattle in UK but the risk of contamination to non-ruminant livestock must be considered. The association of the disease with ruminant proteins (meat and bone meal) and the use of these proteins in feeds for pigs and poultry lead to the inevitable exposure of these species to BSE before a total ban on the use of animals proteins was implemented. Experiments have been conducted over five years to verify whether pigs were susceptible to BSE. Parental inoculation of pigs with BSE revealed successful transmission of the disease while oral exposure to BSE and sheep scrapies did not bring evidence of a successful transmission. An absence of infectivity in the intestine and lymphoid tissues of these infected pigs was observed. However, the continuing use of ruminant proteins in other parts of the world and the potential existence of a carrier state (pigs as passive carriers) are major causes for concern as there is a risk of perpetual recycling of ruminant proteins and BSE.
