The madness spreads

Mad cow disease may have reached Scandinavia. Two cows on a farm in the north
of the country are suspected of having BSE, says Sweden’s Board of Agriculture.
Preliminary blood tests with antibodies that detect BSE “prion” proteins were
negative, but results from more extensive tests on brain tissue from the
slaughtered animals are expected this week. Symptoms such as staggering could
have been caused by poisoning or brain tumours, says the board. If the cases are
confirmed they will add to evidence that BSE is spreading. Japan has recently
reported its first case.