LISBON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Portugal has probably detected the second case of the human form of mad cow disease in the country, health authorities said on Wednesday.

    There is laboratory evidence of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), also known as the human form of mad cow disease, in a young Portuguese woman's brain, said the Portugal's General Health Directorate in a statement.

    "For ethical reasons we are not going to give details of the case we are now notifying," said the statement posted on the ministry's website. It added that the disease does not spread among humans.

    In June 2005, Portugal reported its first probable case of vCJD found in a young man.

    The disease, which will cause fatal brain degeneration, is believed to be contracted through eating beef tainted with mad cow disease.