Exotic species & domestic cats TSE surveillance statistics

Exotic species and domestic cat surveillance statistics (225kb pdf)

Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE)

  • FSE was first identified in the United Kingdom in 1990.
  • Most cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, where the epidemic has been consistent with that of the BSE epidemic. Some other countries (e.g. Norway, Liechtenstein and France) have also reported cases.
  • Most cases have been reported in domestic cats but there have also been cases in captive exotic cats (e.g. Cheetah, Lion, Asian, leopard cat, Ocelot, Puma and Tiger).
  • The disease is characterised by progressive nervous signs, including ataxia, hyper-reactivity and behavioural changes and is fatal.
  • The chemical and biological properties of the infectious agent are identical to those of the BSE and variantCreutzfeldt-Jakob agents. These findings support the hypothesis that the FSE epidemic resulted from the consumption of food contaminated with the BSE agent.
  • The FSE epidemic has declined as a result of tight controls on the disposal of specified risk material and other animal by-products.

TSE in exotic ruminants

  • TSEs have been detected in exotic ruminants in the United Kingdom zoos since 1986.
  • These include antelopes (Eland, Gemsbok, Arabian and Scimitar oryx, Nyala and Kudu), Ankole cattle and bison.
  • With hindsight the 1986 case in a Nyala was diagnosed before the first case of BSE was identified.
  • The TSE cases in exotic ruminants had a younger onset age and a shorter clinical duration compared to that in cattle with BSE.
  • All the cases appear to be linked on the BSE epidemic via the consumption of feed contaminated with the BSE agents.
  • The epidemic has declined as a result of tight controls on feeding mammalian meat and bone meal to susceptible animals, particularly from August 1996.