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Scrapie in sheep and goats
Author(s) -
Sargison Neil
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inpract.17.10.467
Subject(s) - scrapie , chronic wasting disease , flock , bovine spongiform encephalopathy , kuru , transmissible spongiform encephalopathy , disease , veterinary medicine , biology , virology , medicine , prion protein , pathology
SCRAPIE is a primary spongiform encephalopathy of sheep and goats which has been recognised in the United Kingdom since the mid‐18th century. In other species, scrapie‐contaminated material has been suggested as a cause of neurological disease such as transmissible mink encephalopathy and possibly bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Human Creutzfeld‐Jakob disease and kuru, and chronic wasting disease of Rocky Mountain elk, are similar but unrelated diseases. Scrapie in sheep and goats has been notifiable in the UK since January 1, 1993, and is known to be widespread. In endemically infected and genetically susceptible flocks it is an important cause of economic loss. The disease probably originated in Spanish Merino flocks and is now of economic importance in Europe and North America. Although it has on occasions been introduced to Australia and New Zealand, prompt identification and slaughter of imported sheep has kept these countries scrapie‐free.