Government officials reported three new cases of mad cow, bringing the total so far this year to 99. Last year, France recorded just 31 cases of the mad cow disease. The rising numbers are in part (1) a new testing program that focuses on cows that are most (2) . That program has (3) 39 cases. But still 60 new cases were identified in the usual way, (4) were found in 1999. Many scientists (5) that this year, five years after safety precautions were (6) , the number of cases would be (7) .
The rise in cases has (8) some scientists to question whether the disease can be transmitted in ways not yet understood. Scientists are still (9) the disease, first recognized in cows in 1986.
It appears that it is not caused by a bacteria, virus or fungus, but (10) infectious particles called prion, perhaps (11) a virus or other agent. The disease kills cells in the brain, (12) it spongy and fu
A. discovered
B. invented
C. identified
D. disclosed
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