Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy: collated papers

Collated published papers, reports and press cuttings regarding BSE and the outbreak in Great Britain in the 1980s and 1990s. The series includes a set of government progress reports.

1962-2005

5 boxes

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow Disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects cattle. It can be transmitted to humans through consumption of food contaminated with an infected carcass and in humans is known as new variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD). The first confirmed instance of BSE in Great Britain was in 1986 and cases peaked in 1992. A probable link between BSE and vCDJ was announced in 1996. One week later the European Union banned all British beef exports, which lasted until 1998. A BSE Inquiry was set up in 1998 to investigate the public health scandal.