August 2026: A European research consortium which includes Roslin scientists seeks long term solutions to prion diseases including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). BSE is commonly known as mad cow disease. Cases of the fatal livestock disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) peaked in the late 20th century, in an outbreak that led to the slaughter of an estimated four million cattle in the UK. Transmission of the disease occurred through inclusion of contaminated animal protein in livestock feed. The infection results in build-up of misfolded protein, or prions, in the brains of cattle, leading to nervous or aggressive behaviour and difficulties in walking and standing, hence the nickname of mad cow disease. Most seriously, BSE also spread to humans, resulting in more than 200 deaths from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) to date. Processed animal protein ban A ban on the use of processed animal protein in livestock feed was introduced, leading to a near-cessation of disease in recent years.However, occasional contemporary cases still occur, including a recent case reported in August 2026 in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.A costly, extensive programme of surveillance and control measures remains in place throughout Europe to identify and investigate these incidences, and ensure that affected cattle do not enter the human food chain. Greater understanding of the origins of disease, and the cause of modern-day cases, could enable progress towards its eradication, and inform targeted strategies for disease detection and mitigation of risks of similar livestock disease outbreaks in future. Towards BSE eradication A new programme of research seeks to understand the origins of contemporary BSE cases, in order to develop strategies and tools to assist disease eradication, and help to prevent future outbreaks of prion diseases in livestock. With €1.25m funding provided through the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAHW), the programme is led by Dr Fiona Houston of the Roslin Institute and involves scientists from the Friedrich-Loffler Institute in Germany, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) and the Pasteur Institute in France, and the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency.The EUPAHW-funded research consortium will focus on four aspects of the disease. Scientists will seek to better understand the genetic basis of susceptibility to BSE, pick apart the possible origins of contemporary BSE cases, and develop ways to detect and mitigate contamination in livestock environments. We know BSE has a long lead time – cases can take years to come to light, and are an infection risk during this period – which makes it all the more challenging to trace its origins, and highlights the importance of efforts to eradicate it.Until we understand the disease better, we should be cautious about removing surveillance. Dr Fiona Houston Senior Research Fellow, the Roslin Institute Genetic susceptibility Scientists will seek to identify genes that may influence susceptibility to BSE.To do this, they will examine the entire genetic code, or whole genome sequence, from cases of BSE in animals born after the ban on feeding animal protein, in comparison with DNA from healthy cattle, to identify genetic variants that may be associated with disease. In parallel, studies using brain material from genetically diverse laboratory mice will aim to pinpoint genes and variants linked to efficient replication of BSE prions.Combining results from these studies may aid identification of specific genes linked to disease, allowing screening and removal of livestock at greater risk of developing BSE. Ensuring disease safeguards The emergence of BSE as a novel zoonotic prion disease of cattle had an enormous influence on animal and public health policies worldwide, with major impacts on agriculture, international trade, biopharmaceuticals and healthcare. To manage this safely and prevent future re-emergence of BSE, it is important that the disease is completely eradicated and/or that there are systems and techniques in place to enable early detection of recurrent cases. In this project, the collaborating team aims to accelerate progress towards eradication of BSE, addressing fundamental scientific uncertainties regarding the unexplained persistence of classical BSE, and developing novel technologies that can improve disease monitoring and control both now and in future. Related links Original articleThe Roslin InstituteMedia coverage This article was published on Thursday 27 August 2026
