Control of TSEs (2024)

• Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are a family of diseases occurring in man and animals and are characterised by a degeneration of brain tissue giving a sponge-like appearance leading to death

• The family includes diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) and Kuru in humans, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, Scrapie in small ruminants (sheep and goats), Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in cervids and Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy (TME) in minks.

• The commonly accepted cause of the TSE diseases is a transmissible agent called a prion (PrPres), which is an abnormal form of a protein.

European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 999/2001, known as "the TSE Regulation" is based on sound scientific advice.

Two Commission Communications to the European Parliament and the Council, called "TSE roadmaps" have been adopted to inform on revisions to the TSE control system envisaged by the Commission. Most of the short and medium term measures envisaged in these two roadmaps have already been adopted by the Commission.

For all aspects regarding TSEs and BSE, please refer to the information displayed below

For a list of establishments registered/authorised in accordance with Section A of Chapter V of Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001, in the context of the feed ban, please visit the List of Establishments page.

For lists of holdings of sheep or goats with a controlled or negligible risk of Classical Scrapie, please visit the Lists of Holdings with a Status for Classical Scrapie page.

Applications to be recognised a member State, or zones of a Member State, with a negligible risk of classical scrapie should be prepared in accordance with this Guideline document.

• Questions and Answers on BSE
• Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Questions and Answers on TSE in goats
• Questions and Answers on TSEs in sheep
• Work Programme on TSE (2006)