No cases of BSE in Moroccan cattle, official
Morocco, Health, 3/4/2005

Morocco said Thursday no cases of BSE bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known as mad cow disease, have been reported so far in the cattle.

The Moroccan Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries Ministry made this statement after a Moroccan man died Wednesday of what is suspected to be the first case of mad cow disease in the north African country.

On its part, the Health Ministry said it is possible the man died of the human variant of the mad cow disease, but it is still carrying out checks to samples to determine the causes of his death.

Morocco has taken preventive measures since 1990 to protect the country from the disease that is lethal and incurable. It is believed to occur from eating food contaminated with material from cattle with BSE, which is a progressive neurological disorder.

Following the spread of the Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD), Morocco banned in 2000 the import of beef, livestock and meat products from countries where BSE was declared. It also established a monitoring system to follow up the state of the cattle.

The kingdom lifted the ban on livestock import in 2004.

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