After Fiocruz ruled out the “mad cow” disease in two suspected cases, the Ministry of Agriculture said that meat consumption can continue normally and that there are no risks.
On Thursday, Fiocruz clarified that Rio de Janeiro patients hospitalized for investigation of the “mad cow” disease are actually suspected of another disease, called CJD, a nervous condition with symptoms similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
In a statement, the company stated that the suspicion of CJD considers the clinical and radiological aspects of the two patients, but that the cases still do not have a diagnostic confirmation.
Experts consulted by CNN claim that Brazil has never had an epidemic of the “mad cow” disease, as it happens in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s.
The mistaken disclosure of the suspicion of the “mad cow” disease by Fiocruz arose amid another problem: in September, Brazil registered two cases of the atypical form of the disease, which arises spontaneously in animals and is not transmissible. Even so, the Brazilian government preventively suspended exports to China, following the sanitary protocol between the two countries. Sales have not yet resumed.
The Ministry of Agriculture is waiting for the Asian country to complete a technical assessment.
(Published by Evandro Furoni)
Reference: CNN Brasil
