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.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.