Spongiform Encephalopathy (Hansard, 19 February 1997)

§ Mr. Martlew
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the(a) number and (b) species of the zoo animals in which spongiform encephalopathy has been confirmed between 1988 and the present time. [16129]

§ Mrs. Browning
The following table gives the number of confirmed transmissible spongiform encephalopathy cases in animals kept in zoological collections in Great Britain as at 1 February 1997¹

Confirmed cases shown by year of clinical onset or year of confirmation Species

1986 Nyala

1987 Gemsbok

1988 ¹—

1989 Oryx (Arabian) Kudu, Eland

1990 Kudu

1991 Eland(3), Kudu

1992 Puma, Kudu(3), Cheetah, Oryx (scimitar horned)

1993 Cheetah²

1994 Ocelot, Eland

1995 Puma(2), Eland, Tiger(2)

1996 Ocelot, Bison

It is not possible to provide the data by date of confirmation or to give details of suspect cases which were not subsequently confirmed as central records are not compiled in this way. Furthermore, there was no statutory requirement to report diagnosis of a spongiform encephalopathy other than BSE or scrapie until November 1994. MAFF would not therefore have been informed of suspect cases for which laboratory examination proved to be negative. To provide the information in the way requested could be done only at disproportionate costs.

¹Two cases in Ankole cows were recorded in the BSE statistics for cattle for 1991.

²Two further cheetahs were confirmed in foreign zoos, having been born and infected in a British zoo.

635W

§ Mr. Martlew
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of spongiform encephalopathy have been(a) suspected and (b) confirmed in each of the last 10 years, broken down by species. [16223]

§ Mrs. Browning
The following table gives the number of suspected and confirmed cases of BSE in Great Britain as at 7 February 1996. The cases before 21 June 1988 are recorded by date of clinical onset of disease and the cases thereafter are recorded by date of restriction:

Year Suspected³ Confirmed⁴

1986 ²— 7

1987 ²— 435

1988 2,516 2,469

1989 8,447 7,137

1990 17,323 14,181

1991 30,009 ⁵25,032

1992 44,846 36,682

1993 42,931 34,370

1994 30,261 23,944

1995 17,946 14,298

1996 10,688 ¹7,323

¹Incomplete data.

²BSE not a notifiable disease prior to 21 June 1988, details of suspect cases not available.

³Suspects restricted—only cases showing clinical signs suspicious of BSE are placed under restriction. Some suspects reported by owners will not on close examination justify service of restriction. No central records are kept of such cases.

⁴BSE confirmed—The figures are significantly in arrears of restriction as there will inevitably be a delay in examining the brains, and some animals placed under restriction in 1996 will not yet have been slaughtered.

⁵Includes two Ankole cows in zoos recorded as normal BSE cases.

The following table gives the number of suspected and confirmed cases of scrapie in Great Britain as at 18 February 1997.

Year Suspected Confirmed

1986 ¹— 156

1987 ¹— 179

1988 ¹— 215

1989 ¹— 246

1990 ¹— ²348

1991 ¹— ²989

1992 ¹— ²666

1993 492 327

1994 291 199

1995 220 163

1996 ²339 209

1997 ¹35 —

¹Details of suspect cases unavailable. Scrapie became a notifiable disease on 1 January 1993.

²Figures are distorted because payments were offered for cases between October 1990 and August 1992 when brain pools were being assembled for rendering experiments.

³Some results due.

⁴All results due.

The following list gives the number of confirmed cases of feline spongiform encephalopathy by year of confirmation in Great Britain as at 1 February 1997:

1990: 12

1991: 12

1992: 10

1993: 11

1994: 16

1995: 8

1996: 6

636W
Information on cases in other species is recorded in the answer to the hon. Member's other question about zoo animals.

Confirmed cases shown by year of clinical onset or year of confirmation	Species
1986	Nyala
1987	Gemsbok
1988	¹—
1989	Oryx (Arabian) Kudu, Eland
1990	Kudu
1991	Eland(3), Kudu
1992	Puma, Kudu(3), Cheetah, Oryx (scimitar horned)
1993	Cheetah²
1994	Ocelot, Eland
1995	Puma(2), Eland, Tiger(2)
1996	Ocelot, Bison
It is not possible to provide the data by date of confirmation or to give details of suspect cases which were not subsequently confirmed as central records are not compiled in this way. Furthermore, there was no statutory requirement to report diagnosis of a spongiform encephalopathy other than BSE or scrapie until November 1994. MAFF would not therefore have been informed of suspect cases for which laboratory examination proved to be negative. To provide the information in the way requested could be done only at disproportionate costs.
¹Two cases in Ankole cows were recorded in the BSE statistics for cattle for 1991.
²Two further cheetahs were confirmed in foreign zoos, having been born and infected in a British zoo.

Year	Suspected³	Confirmed⁴
1986	²—	7
1987	²—	435
1988	2,516	2,469
1989	8,447	7,137
1990	17,323	14,181
1991	30,009	⁵25,032
1992	44,846	36,682
1993	42,931	34,370
1994	30,261	23,944
1995	17,946	14,298
1996	10,688	¹7,323
¹Incomplete data.
²BSE not a notifiable disease prior to 21 June 1988, details of suspect cases not available.
³Suspects restricted—only cases showing clinical signs suspicious of BSE are placed under restriction. Some suspects reported by owners will not on close examination justify service of restriction. No central records are kept of such cases.
⁴BSE confirmed—The figures are significantly in arrears of restriction as there will inevitably be a delay in examining the brains, and some animals placed under restriction in 1996 will not yet have been slaughtered.
⁵Includes two Ankole cows in zoos recorded as normal BSE cases.

Year	Suspected	Confirmed
1986	¹—	156
1987	¹—	179
1988	¹—	215
1989	¹—	246
1990	¹—	²348
1991	¹—	²989
1992	¹—	²666
1993	492	327
1994	291	199
1995	220	163
1996	²339	209
1997	¹35	—
¹Details of suspect cases unavailable. Scrapie became a notifiable disease on 1 January 1993.
²Figures are distorted because payments were offered for cases between October 1990 and August 1992 when brain pools were being assembled for rendering experiments.
³Some results due.
⁴All results due.