vCJD case: Ahern moves to ease beef safety fears

Claire O'Sullivan

Ten Irish people could fall victim to vCJD in the next five to seven years, a study by the head of the National CJD Advisory Board has revealed.

Professor William Hall said this was a worst-case scenario and that any such cases would result from meat eaten prior to the introduction of rigorous safety controls by the Department of Agriculture in 1997. The risk from current stocks of Irish meat was practically "negligible".

Exports of beef from Ireland hit €1.9 billion last year after a 12% rise in overseas shipments. The domestic beef market is worth €320 million, according to Bord Bia.

Mr Ahern told the Dáil there should be "no need for public concern about the safety of Irish beef".

Mr Ahern said it was most likely that the man, diagnosed with the incurable brain disease in a Dublin hospital, was infected before the food safety controls of 1997.

The estimated incubation period after which vCJD symptoms emerge is believed to be 10-15 years after eating BSE-infected meat.

Victims of vCJD have an average survival time of 13 months. The patient has never had surgery and has never given or received blood, so must have eaten infected beef.

"The Irish measures to protect public health are in accordance with best international practice," Mr Ahern said.

"From (the end of) 1996 onwards, and in advance of their adoption elsewhere, rigorous controls have been applied here to protect consumers and to eradicate BSE. Ireland's controls are deemed to be optimal and stable."

Mr Ahern said he hoped results of any investigations into the source of the illness will be made public so the credibility of the beef sector will remain intact.

Prof Hall said the risk of contracting vCJD from current Irish beef stocks is practically non-existent but that he wouldn't be surprised to see more outbreaks in the coming years.

"The expert group did a risk analysis to see how many cases we could expect, based on UK cases, and we found that there would be at least zero to one case and in a worst-case scenario, it could be as high as 10," he said.

Prof Hall explained that Ireland is likely to see more cases and then the chances of transmission will reduce as the 1997 controls take effect.

An Irish Farmers Association spokesman said he doesn't expect any negative impact on the Irish beef export market.

"This is a tragic situation but we have the necessary controls and checks in place to reassure consumers. We don't foresee any impact on the market as we have done everything possible since 1997 to stop any risk of BSE infection," he said.