Mad cows playing man in Switzerland

2002/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

The number of people dying from mad cow disease has increased considerably in Switzerland in the last two years. Therefore, scientists will investigate whether there has been a new variant of mad cow disease that has reached humans.

Mad cow disease reached Switzerland between 1995 and 96. Since then and until 2000, every year between 8 and 11 million inhabitants of Switzerland have died from CJD, a mad cow disease that affects humans. In 2001, 19 people suffered from CJD and 7 in the first three months of this year. Obviously, much more than in previous years. Scientists now begin work to analyze the causes of this increase.