Scrapie

Scrapie is a degenerative, contagious, and fatal neurological disease that affects sheep and goats, caused by a protein called a prion. In affected animals, the prions cause the brain and spinal cord tissue to become spongy and lead to a variety of clinical signs. These include changes in behavior and movement, loss of muscle coordination, and decreased appetite. Once an animal is infected, there is no known treatment or cure. Scrapie can spread quickly in sheep and goat populations by direct contact and is most often detected in older animals. It has become a significant disease for sheep and goat producers and can cause economic losses in terms of animal deaths, reduced productivity, and decreased quality of wool and meat.