Japan is the only country in the region which reports the occurrence of scrapie in its national flock. Scrapie occurred in imported sheep in Australia in the 1950s and in New Zealand in the 1950s and the 1970s, but in both countries was eradicated promptly by urgent stamping out policies. The intensity of surveillance for scrapie and BSE varies widely within the region. Targeted passive surveillance may be limited to animals exhibiting the disease on the farm, but in several countries includes examination of livestock submitted to abattoirs.
Some countries report having in place active surveillance for the TSEs.
However, in some countries brain samples from randomly selected culled mature animals are collected at slaughter and examined in the laboratory. The OIE International Animal Health Code outlines BSE-specific measures to be adopted to permit the safe trade in bovine animals and products, and some countries adhere to these. However, some countries in the region prohibit the importation of bovine animals, semen, embryos or meat products from the United Kingdom, apparently considering that the assurances provided by the International Animal Health Code are inadequate. Several countries in the region have prohibited the importation of meat and bone meal. In some cases importation has been prohibited for many years.