By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent
One in 2,000 people in the UK carries the infectious proteins that cause the human form of mad cow disease, a new study has confirmed.
But the researchers stress that it is still not known how many will go on to develop variant Creuzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) in future.
Scientists from Public Health England and the Institute of Neurology tested 32,000 appendixes that had been removed between 2000 and 2012 in 41 hospitals.
Results show that 16 were positive for the abnormal prion protein that causes the brain disease.
The researchers say that equates to a prevalence of 493 per million population, with an estimate of one in 2,000 likely to be carriers.
The Health Protection Agency released some data from the appendix survey last year, but the full results have now been published in the British Medical Journal.
So far, 177 people have died from vCJD after eating contaminated beef.
Cases have tailed off in recent years with none reported last year and only one so far in 2013.
But previous studies have found that many others are harbouring the infection without developing clinical symptoms.
It has been suggested that people with a slightly different make-up may incubate the disease over a longer period.
To reduce the risk of onward transmission of the infectious proteins there are tight controls on surgical instruments and on who can donate blood.
Dr Graham Jackson, of the Medical Research Council's Prion Unit, said the findings underline the need for more research.
He said: "Given the high levels of infection indicated by this research, it is now crucial we establish how many people in the UK harbour that infection in their bloodstream in order to adequately assess the risks of transmission through contaminated blood donations.
"Studies to develop new blood tests for CJD must remain a priority to assist with screening and protecting the UK blood supply."
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