Spain detects an atypical case of mad cow disease, according to OIE

PARIS (Reuters) - Spain has detected atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dead cow in northwest Galicia, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said on Friday. The disease, commonly called mad cow disease, was discovered after a 22-year-old cow was euthanized due to signs of illness unrelated to BSE, the OIE said, citing information from Spanish authorities. The case, which was isolated, "did not enter the food chain and therefore did not pose any risk to public health or require any preventive health measures," Galicia's regional health service said on its website. A case of mad cow disease, also caused by old age, was found in the Netherlands last week. The atypical case of mad cow disease occurs sporadically and spontaneously in older cows, while the other variant, the classic and dreaded type of infection, is ...