SCRAPIE, ATYPICAL, OVINE - NEW ZEALAND

**************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Wed 18 Feb 2009
Source: The Age (Australia) [edited]



New Zealand's sheep industry is on alert after the discovery of a "new"
form of the brain disease scrapie in a research flock in Britain.

Two cheviot sheep sent as part of a New Zealand flock and a ewe born to 2
cheviots in the "closed" flock developed atypical scrapie, a fatal
degenerative disease that affects the nervous systems of sheep and goats.

"A likely explanation for the 3 cases of atypical scrapie is that they
arose spontaneously and were not infected from an exterior source," British
researchers said.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Susan Baekeland

[There has long been heartache among producers, researchers, and regulators
regarding the spontaneous or atypical form of scrapie, and BSE. A
spontaneous form is difficult to regulate, impossible to trace, and almost
defies research. The researchers on these spongiform encephalopathy
diseases are a determined lot and the atypical form does not make their job
easier. However, over the years there has been some sort of loose consensus
that the atypical form is spontaneous and beyond the regulatory grip of
agencies. - Mod.TG

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of new Zealand is available at
. - CopyEd.MJ]

[see also:
2008
---
Scrapie, ovine - Portugal: (Guarda), OIE 20080522.1689
2007
---
Scrapie, sheep, goats - USA 20071204.3918
Scrapie, sheep - Romania: OIE 20070614.1941
Scrapie, atypical, sheep - USA (WY): 1st report 20070318.0949
Scrapie, sheep - Israel (Haifa): OIE 20070302.0739
2006
---
Scrapie, sheep - Denmark: OIE 20061014.2944
Scrapie, sheep - Hungary: OIE 20060630.1805
2005
---
Scrapie, sheep - Falkland Islands/Malvinas: OIE 20051203.3495
Scrapie, atypical, ovine - Falkland Islands 20051120.3371
Scrapie, sheep - Japan: OIE 20050430.1210
Scrapie, sheep - Slovenia: OIE 20050408.1017
Scrapie, sheep - Hungary: Imported, OIE 20050121.0206
2004
---
Scrapie, atypical, sheep - UK and Ireland 20041210.3274]

.................tg/mj/sh