[Bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Europe. Present and future]

Occurrence since 1986 and extension as an extended common source epidemic in United Kingdom of a new neurological bovine condition: bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) initiated numerous epidemiological research actions in this country in order to discover the origin of this new disease, predict its evolution and implement control measures. In the same time epidemiological surveillance systems have been set up in several European countries leading to the identification of sporadic BSE cases in Ireland, Switzerland and France. In spite of the numerous informations published, a number of topics are not precisely known: identity and origin of BSE agent, influence of contaminated bovine genetics over disease development in contaminated bovine, infection incidence in herds where disease has been identified. As BSE is a member of the group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, concerns about foodborne transmission from cattle to human and inoculation of medicinal products containing bovine material and used for therapy or prevention in human beings or animals, has been expressed. The demonstration of iatrogenic transmission between human beings of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease has considerably influenced the implementation of measures to prevent the hypothetical risk for man to be infected by medicinal products or medical devises containing material of bovine origin.