Written question asked by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 11 June 1997. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 June 1997 on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Question: What is his assessment of the use of BSE-testing developments by Messrs Proteus.

Answer: Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his assessment of the use of BSE-testing developments by Messrs Proteus. [2248] Mr. Rooker: The Department's involvement with Proteus has been confined to the assessment of a PrP antiserum for the diagnosis of BSE by immunohistochemistry in brain sections of cattle killed with clinical signs of BSE. In a joint study between the Veterinary Research Laboratories, Dublin and the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), Weybridge, the performance of the Proteus PrP antiserum, designated 168, was compared with that of another PrP antiserum 971 raised at CVL. Each laboratory replicated the PrP immunostaining protocols used in both participating laboratories. Closely similar results were obtained in each laboratory with both antibodies performing similarly in the confirmation of clinical cases of BSE. The studies did not include evaluation of the use of the 168 antibody for the diagnosis of BSE during the incubation period of the disease.

Secondary information