O'Connor, Jarlath T.Jarlath T.O'ConnorByrne, Justin P.Justin P.ByrneMore, Simon JohnSimon JohnMoreMcGrath, GuyGuyMcGrathTratalos, Jamie A.Jamie A.Trataloset al.2019-04-242019-04-242018 Briti2018-02-08Veterinary Record0042-4900http://hdl.handle.net/10197/10107In several EU member states, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases have been identified in cattle born after the reinforced ban (BARB cases), for reasons that are not entirely clear. Epidemiological investigation of these cases has proved challenging. The European Food Safety Authority recently recommended the collection of a predefined set of epidemiological data from BSE suspects and confirmed BSE cases to aid future investigations. In this study, we present an epidemiological framework and BSE investigation questionnaire to aid the investigation of suspect BSE cases, and illustrate its application during the investigation of a BSE case in Ireland in 2015. It is recommended that the framework and questionnaire are used concurrently: the framework provides structure and focus, whereas the questionnaire (with 135 questions) aids data collection. The framework focuses on confirmation and discrimination, estimating the date and location of exposure, and determining the method/source of exposure. The BSE case in Ireland in 2015 was a BARB case born in 2010. It was identified with classical BSE at an authorised knackery as part of Ireland's targeted active surveillance programme for BSE. No definitive source of infection with the BSE agent could be attributed in this case.Print-ElectronicenThis is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)CattleReinforced banIrelandPopulation surveillanceEpidemiological frameworkInvestigationJournal Article18261810.1136/vr.1041482018-08-10https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ie/