Updated revision of the Norwegian annual monitoring programme for BSE

• Main Author: European Food Safety Authority
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2013-09-01
• Series: EFSA Journal
• Subjects: BSE; Norway; monitoring; revision; design prevalence
• Online Access: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/3380.pdf

This Scientific Report of EFSA provides scientific and technical assistance to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Surveillance Authority in evaluating i) if from a cattle BSE epidemiological point of view, it is acceptable to consider Norway and EU25 as a unique epidemiological unit; and ii) in case the latter can be done, if no healthy slaughtered animals need to be tested in order to meet a yearly design prevalence of 1 detectable case in 100,000 adult cattle at a confidence level of 95 % when all at-risk animals above 48 months of age in Norway and the EU are tested. Historical and current Norwegian risk management measures on the removal of the Specified Risk Material and on the feed ban were considered, together with the results of the Norwegian BSE monitoring regime. The Cattle-TSE Monitoring Model (C-TSEMM) was used to estimate the yearly achievable design prevalence in Norway and to answer the second term of reference of the mandate. The C-TSEMM estimates were provided on the basis of data related to 2011. It is concluded that from a cattle BSE epidemiological point of view Norway and EU25 can be considered as a unique epidemiological unit. Moreover, based on C-TSEMM estimates, when EU25 and Norway are considered as a unique epidemiological unit, and the systematic testing of at-risk animals above 48 months of age is maintained, healthy slaughtered animals would not need to be tested in order to meet a yearly design prevalence of 1 detectable case in 100,000 adult cattle at a confidence level of 95 %.