Mad cow case contained, Canadian officials report

Edmonton, Alberta - 01/31/06 - The newest case of mad-cow disease in Canada reportedly did not enter the food or feed systems.

A 6-year-old animal from central Alberta tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in late January, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The cow showed progressive symptoms for BSE, and it was destroyed following a veterinarian examination. Carcass samples were sent to Winnipeg for confirmatory testing.

The country's public health service has since launched a "comprehensive investigation" to identify other animals of interest to determine how this animal was exposed to the BSE agent.