BSE, Mad Cow Disease

• The Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory began testing cow brains for BSE in June 2004.
• Between June 2004 and November 2008, TVMDL has tested more than 112,355 cow brains for BSE
• The lab uses antigen capture ELISA tests
• There are four types of tests for BSE: two types of ELISA tests, a Western blot, and an immunohistochemistry (IHC), which has been the standard.
• The TVMDL runs screening tests and reports results only as negative or inconclusive. The National Veterinary Service Laboratory (NVSL) at Ames, Iowa determines whether an "inconclusive" test is positive or negative.
• Maintaining a sample over time for resampling requires extreme care to maintain viability of the tests.
• In the 112,355 cow brains tested at the lab, only one has been deemed inclusive. That was in November 2004. That sample was forwarded to the National Veterinary Service Laboratory at Ames, Iowa who reported back to TVMDL that it was negative.
• The lab is not privy to know where the cow came from. They get samples from Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The bulk of the samples are from Mississippi and Texas.
• The lab does ?same-day? reporting of the outcome of its tests. It reports results to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These samples are identified only by identification number which the USDA can trace if necessary.
• The lab has a confidentiality agreement with the USDA which provides that information about the origin of the animal and test results may be released only by the USDA.

Contact:
Dr. Tammy R. Beckham (979) 845-3414, Director TVMDL

Answers to general questions about BSE
USDA BSE News & Information
BSE Contacts -- from Texas A&M AgriLife