Wednesday, 18 April, 2001, 04:29 GMT 05:29 UK

BSE origins linked to antelope

Human form of BSE is thought to have killed 90 Researchers from the other side of the world have identified what they say is the most likely cause of BSE in Britain.

Early results of tests carried out by scientists in New Zealand suggest BSE - or mad cow disease - did not come from scrapie-infected sheep or genetic mutation as commonly thought.

Instead they said the most likely source of infection came from antelope imported into south-west England in the 1970s.

The animals, which went to UK safari parks, suffered from a similar degenerative disease.

The New Zealand experts said the remains of these animals must have been used at some point in feed which was then given to cattle.

BSE is the cattle equivalent of variant CJD (Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease) which is fatal in humans.

It is vCJD can be contracted by eating meat contaminated with BSE, but the link has not been categorically proven.

According to latest figures, 90 people have died in the UK from definite or probable vCJD.

Another seven people are believed to be living with the disease.

Scandal

In the wake of the Phillips report into the handling of the BSE crisis, ministers pledged to do all in their power to prevent a repeat of the scandal.

Agriculture Minister Nick Brown acknowledged that the inquiry into the outbreak had identified "serious shortcomings" in the handling of the affair by previous Conservative governments.

Lord Phillips' 16-volume report, published last October, criticised ministers and civil servants for failing to be open about the possibility of BSE spreading to humans.

CJD cluster

In March experts blamed traditional butchery practices as the most likely cause of Britain's first vCJD cluster in Leicestershire.

The Department of Health pledged to examine the findings of the report into the deaths of five young people in the village of Queniborough from vCJD.

The inquiry team, from Leicestershire Health Authority, believe the infection that caused the Queniborough outbreak could have been spread from high-risk brain tissue to cuts intended for human consumption via butchers' hands or knives.

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2001