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BSE, feed and cattle in Switzerland: is there a spatial relation?
Heinzpeter Schwermer1, Katharina Forster, Franz Brülisauer
1Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, Schwarzenburgstrasse 155, 3003 Bern-Liebefeld, Switzerland. heinzpeter.schwermer@bvet.admin.ch
Veterinary Research
|May 18, 2007
Summary
Cross-contamination of cattle feed with meat and bone meal (MBM) is linked to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) cases. This study found spatial links between contaminated feed producers and BSE occurrences in Switzerland, supporting the cross-contamination hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Epidemiology
- Food Safety
- Animal Health
Background:
- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) transmission post-feed ban is hypothesized to involve cross-contamination.
- Meat and bone meal (MBM) in cattle feed is a suspected source.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial relationship between BSE cases in Switzerland and MBM contamination in cattle feed.
- To test the cross-contamination hypothesis for BSE transmission.
Main Methods:
- Cluster analysis and cohort study design.
- Inclusion of 216 BSE cases (born post-1990), 504 feed producer screening data (1996-2001), and Swiss cattle census data (2001).
- Analysis of farms within 2 km and 10 km radii of MBM-positive feed producers.
Main Results:
- Cluster analysis identified MBM-positive feed producers as potential centers for BSE cases.
- Cohort study revealed significantly higher odds of BSE on farms near positive feed producers (OR 2.23 for 2km, OR 1.38 for 10km).
- Evidence supports a spatial correlation between feed contamination and BSE occurrence.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the hypothesis that feed cross-contamination is a significant route for BSE transmission after a feed ban.
- Spatial analysis highlights the importance of controlling MBM contamination in feed supply chains to prevent BSE spread.
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