New Case Of Mad Cow Disease Discovered In Netherlands

May 21, 2008 8:10 a.m. EST

Brussels, Belgium (AHN) - A fresh case of mad cow disease has been discovered in northern Netherlands in the Drenthe province, it was reported.

Radio Netherlands Worldwide in its report said that an eight-year-old cow started to fell ill in May in Drenthre and had difficulty in walking.

Veterinarians eventually killed the animal where an autopsy was conducted on its carcass. During examination it was found the cow was infected with BSE or bovine spongiform encephalopathy virus, more commonly known as mad cow disease.

The discovery of the fresh case of mad cow in the region came after the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture announced in March that the disease was detected in a farm in the town of Dinkelland in Overijssel province. The discovery came following autopsy to an animal already slaughtered.

This is the third mad cow case in the Netherlands in 2008 and is the 85th since 1997.

The disease affects the central nervous system of the animal and is believed may be transmitted to human beings after eating an infected animal's brain or spinal cord.