Question
How many cases of spongiform encephalopathy have been (a) suspected and (b) confirmed in each of the last 10 years, broken down by species. - Inc tables of available figs.
Answer
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 Suspected{3} Confirmed{4} 1986 {2}-- 7 1987 {2}-- 435 1988 2,516 2,469 1989 8,447 7,137 1990 17,323 14,181 1991 30,009 {5}25,032 1992 44,846 36,682 1993 42,931 34,370 1994 30,261 23,944 1995 17,946 14,298 1996 10,688 {1}7,323 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Incomplete data. {2} BSE not a notifiable disease prior to 21 June 1988, details of suspect cases not available. {3} Suspects 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. {4} BSE 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. {5} Includes 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}-- {2}348 1991 {1}-- {2}989 1992 {1}-- {2}666 1993 492 327 1994 291 199 1995 220 163 1996 {2}339 209 1997 {4}35 -- _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Details of suspect cases unavailable. Scrapie became a notifiable disease on 1 January 1993. {2} Figures are distorted because payments were offered for cases between October 1990 and August 1992 when brain pools were being assembled for rendering experiments. {3} Some results due. {4} All 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 Information on cases in other species is recorded in the answer to the hon. Member's other question about zoo animals.