1-Column
1985
Bovine Spongiform Encephalophathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, is first observed in the
United Kingdom
(
Great Britain
). The first related case of BSE occurred in February 1985. "Cow 133" died after suffering head tremors.
November 1986
The first confirmed case of BSE is identified in the
United Kingdom
.
July 1998
Government officials ban the inclusion of meat and bone from ruminant (grazing) animals into cattle feed. Ruminant animals are believed to carry the prions that cause BSE.
July 1989
The United States Department of Agriculture bans the importation of ruminant animals from countries with confirmed BSE cases.
May 1990
United Kingdom
scientist Professor Richard Lacey calls for the slaughter of all BSE infected herds in the
United Kingdom
. During the same period, the British agricultural minister declares that all beef products are completely safe to eat, even appearing on television in a commercial with his 4-year-old daughter eating a hamburger.
June 1990
Out of 10 million cattle in
Great Britain
, more than 14,000 are confirmed to have BSE.
December 1991
United States Department of Agriculture bans at-risk by products of ruminant origin from countries with BSE.
1993
The United States Mad Cow Disease Surveillance Program expands to include examination of brain tissue from downed cows.
January 1993
The BSE epidemic reaches epic proportions in the
United Kingdom
. Mad cow disease at its peak during this period reached 1,000 new cases each week.
United Kingdom
officials brought that figure down to about 300 reported BSE cases by 1996.
1986-1996
—More
than 155,000 cases of BSE are identified in the
United Kingdom
. The disease in the
United Kingdom
peaks between 1992-93 with a reported 100,000 confirmed cases.
May 21, 1995
Stephen Churchill, 19, is the first known human death from BSE. Three more
United Kingdom
residents die that year from the disease.
March 20, 1996
British government officials confirm the suspicion of many scientists, announcing a link between BSE and the Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease, which is a human form of BSE.
Aug. 4, 1997
The United States Food and Drug Administration establishes regulations prohibiting the feeding of most mammalian proteins to ruminants.
February 2000
A mother carrying the Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease gives birth to a daughter in the
United Kingdom
, who also tests positive for the disease.
July 2000
United States
officials declare an emergency situation after four sheep in
Vermont
tested positive for BSE related symptoms. The cause of the outbreak was eventually traced back to feed purchased from
Belgium
.
Nov. 23, 2000
The first case of BSE is confirmed in
Spain
.
Nov. 24, 2000
The first reported case of BSE is confirmed in
Germany
after the birth of two calves.
1993
BSE invades
Canada
. The first reported case of mad cow disease in
Canada
occurred in
Red Deer
,
Alberta
. The cow was imported from
Great Britain
in 1987.
May 20, 2003
Canadian officials confirm a single case of BSE in a cow in
Alberta
.
Sept. 11, 2003
Four months after BSE was identified in Alberta, Canada, the United States allows for the shipment of beef products, lifting its original ban. The shipment of live cattle is still not allowed.
Oct. 29, 2003
A 21-month-old bull is killed in Japan after testing positive for BSE. It is the ninth cow killed in Japan since the illness was discovered in 2001.
Dec. 9, 2003
United States government officials test tissue from a Mabton Holstein dairy cow in Iowa after the downed animal is identified with potentially having BSE at a rendering plant. The tissue is tested for mad cow disease. The results of the tissue test sampling in Iowa prompts the samples to be sent to the United Kingdom for BSE confirmation.
Dec. 23, 2003
United States Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman confirms a suspected case of BSE, mad cow disease, near Mabton, Wa. Veneman says the suspected case won't be confirmed until results are obtained after testing of tissue samples in the United Kingdom. If confirmed, it would be the first case of mad cow disease in the United States.
Dec. 25, 2003
A British laboratory confirms that the Mabton Holstein suspected of contracting BSE is infected with the deadly disease.
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