OIE Revises BSE Risk Categories

The World Organization for Animal Health, or OIE, approved changes to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) chapter of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code at their annual meeting in May. The changes redefine the three categories – negligible, controlled, and undetermined – used to classify a country’s level of risk for BSE.

The 167 member countries of the OIE unanimously agreed to allow countries where BSE is discovered to be categorized as “negligible” risk 11 years after the birth date of the last native-born case. Previously, the term began after the date of the BSE discovery. Also to be considered negligible, a country that has identified a domestic case of BSE must demonstrate that an appropriate level of controls, including feed restrictions, have been in place for at least eight years.


August 2006 Render