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In this paper, data derived from the national database of the Italian surveillance system for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) are used to describe the Italian epidemic of bse. Two data flows were established to collect the results of active and passive surveillance, and 25 regional laboratories were involved. The National Reference Centre (CEA) was in charge of the data analysis. Crude and age-standardised estimates of the prevalence and incidence of bse were obtained to describe the distribution of the disease in terms of the main risk factors (age, breed and herd size), year of birth, time of diagnosis and geographical location. The increased risk was calculated in terms of the incidence rate ratio. During the five years since January 2001, 128 cases of bse were identified in domestic cows and four were identified in imported cattle. All but one of the cases were detected through active surveillance. The risk of the disease was highest in dairy stock and in large herds. The northern regions of Italy had an incidence of bse 2.6 times higher than the southern regions. There was a clear decline in the age-standardised prevalence, from one positive case per 10,000 tests in 2001 to one per 100,000 tests in 2005.

Summary The aim of the study was to review the neuropathological diagnoses obtained during 1999 in cattle meeting the criteria set by the 272/98/EC Decision, in the frame of the Italian Encefalopatia Spongiforme Bovina/Bovine Spongiform Encefalopathy (BSE) surveillance programme. Fifty-two animals displaying clinical signs compatible with BSE were recruited: the Central nervous system (CNS) of each animal was examined by means of histopathology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) or Western blot (WB) for PrPsc. None of the specimen was positive for BSE. Neuropathological findings were observed in 18 of the animals and the most frequent lesions were consistent with listeriosis, nonsuppurative encephalitis, toxic encephalopathy. Our results regarding the most important differential TSE diagnosis are close to the ones obtained in previous neuropathological surveys. Moreover, diagnosis of BSE in Italy in regularly slaughtered animals, achieved by means of active surveillance starting on 1 January 2001, shows that improvement in passive surveillance is needed. First described in UK in 1986 (Wells et al., 1987), BSE was then reported in several European countries, including Italy (Guarda et al., 1994). The surveillance programme in Italy recruited indigenous animals displaying neurological or behavioural signs lasting more than 15 days, cattle with progressive symptoms or fallen stock, while in higher risk animals were included those coming from countries with indigenous BSE cases or cattle exposed to meat and bone meals. In this study we show the results of the histopathological examination of bovine CNSs included in the Italian surveillance activity in 1999 and carried out by the National Reference Center for Animal Neuropathologies (CEA) or by the diagnostic laboratory of the Italian network of the Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali. A total of 52 CNSs coming from native-born animals suspected to be affected by BSE were submitted for histopathological examination. According to 98/272/EC Decision, neurological signs and progressive diseases were displayed respectively by 38 and five animals, whereas the remaining nine animals came from fallen stock. For each animal, clinical and epidemiological data were collected by State Veterinary Officers.