Abbott Laboratory Signs Agreement with Enfer Scientific for Mad Cow Disease Tests
ABBOTT PARK, Ill-Abbott Laboratories announced that it has agreed to work with Enfer Scientific Ltd. for the marketing and distribution of two diagnostic tests used to detect bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle.
The tests, developed by Enfer Scientific, are used to detect the presences of the abnormal prion protein associated with BSE, or Mad Cow disease. The first test is an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test, approved by the European Commission. The test has a rapid turnaround time.
The second test is a supplemental diagnostic test used to confirm positive results. Both are conducted on brain tissue and spinal cord samples from the cattle. Enfer Scientific, which is based in Tipperary, Ireland, will manufacture the tests, leaving Abbot to handle marketing under the Enfer name.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a fatal neurological disease in cattle. The current theory is that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a fatal neurological disease in humans, is a variant of BSE. Both are caused by prion proteins that assume the wrong shape and become lethal as they create plaques that are toxic to brain tissue.
For more information visit www.abbott.com.
“A Coup Against Science”: Health Groups Decry Kennedy’s Firing of National Vaccine Advisory Panel
June 12th 2025Health leaders are outraged after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly fired all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, calling it a political purge that threatens public trust and vaccine safety.
AHE Exchange Summit 2025 Brings EVS and Infection Prevention Experts Together in Columbus, Ohio
June 9th 2025The Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE) is set to host its largest event of the year—Exchange Summit 2025—from June 8 to 11 in Columbus, Ohio. With over 600 environmental services (EVS) professionals expected to attend, this year’s conference focuses heavily on infection prevention, interdepartmental collaboration, and education that empowers frontline health care support leaders to improve patient safety and operational efficiency.
