Egypt and Peru have banned imports of beef from Brazil following confirmation of a cow with atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), according to news reports. This latest report is Brazil's second case of a cow with proteins that cause BSE.
Peru banned imports of beef produce in all of Brazil for 180 days, while Egypt banned imports of beef produced in Mato Grasso state where the infected cow originated for the same period.
In April, a routine inspection at a slaughterhouse uncovered the infected cow. Brazil's agriculture ministry said the animal was at a slaughterhouse in Mato Grasso state. Veterinarians suspected the animal of having neurological problems. Laboratory tests performed in the United Kingdom confirmed the cow was infected with atypical BSE.
