Inside the Latest U.S. Case of Mad Cow Disease The April
discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy only proves
safeguards are working. By Eric Mittenthal, American Meat
Institute | 05/29/2012 Classic bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE), sometimes called "mad cow disease," has been a major
concern around the world since it was first diagnosed in cattle
in the UK in the late 1980s. At its peak in the early 1990s,
tens of thousands of cattle, particularly in the UK were
diagnosed, causing a worldwide scare. When the BSE epidemic
reached its peak, cases were occurring at a rapid rate. But as
more information became available and scientists implemented
aggressive prevention and control measures, the rate of disease
onset has slowed dramatically. In April, USDA confirmed the
nation’s fourth BSE case. A dairy cow in California tested
positive for atypical BSE. It was tested at a rendering plant in
central California and was never presented for slaughter for
human consumption; so it did not present a risk to t