Mad cow disease detected on Essex farm as authorities forced to cull animal

Health officials have confirmed a case of mad cow disease has been detected in a farm in Essex - leading to an animal being culled in a bid to prevent the spread.

The animal tested positive for atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (). The government acted swiftly and said that measures were taken to contain the incident.

Officials issued a statement to the public to reassure them that it was an isolated incident. There is no risk to public health or food safety, as the cow was not planned to enter the chain.

Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: "A single case of atypicalhas been confirmed on a farm in Essex. The animal died on farm and was tested as part of our strict routine controls and surveillance regime.

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"Atypical is distinct from classical BSE and is a spontaneously and sporadically occurring, non-contagious disease which is believed to occur at a very low level in all cattle populations. This is proof that our surveillance system for detecting and containing this type of disease is working."

The latest incident comes just months after a single case of BSE was detected at a farm in . The disease was identified on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway in December last year. Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said officials had taken "swift and robust action to protect the agriculture sector".

He released a statement at the time and said: "The fact we identified this isolated case so quickly is proof that our surveillance system for detecting this type of disease is working effectively. I want to thank the animal's owner for their diligence. Their decisive action has allowed us to identify and isolate the case at speed which has minimised its impact on the wider industry."

BSE mainly affects cattle and can be detected by looking closely for behavioural changes. Other things to look out for includes incoordination and nervousness or aggression. Although the case is isolated, the UK has experienced deadly outbreaks in the past. Another variant for mad disease, which affects humans, is called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).

Humans have been urged to look out for some similar symptoms as BSE such as behaviour changes and issues with co-ordination. However, symptoms are more varied and can also include memory loss, with some people also experiencing slurred speech.

Full list of Symptoms of CJD

• Loss of intellect and memory
• Behavior or personality changes
• Loss of balance and co-ordination
• Slurred speech
• Issues with vision and blindness
• Abnormal jerking movements
• Loss of brain function and mobility