Definition:
Scrapie is a fatal and degenerative disease involving the nervous systems of goats and sheep. It is a contagious form of spongiform encephalopathy associated with chronic wasting disease of deer and mad cow disease. This contagious disorder can't infect humans.
Scrapie is somehow similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and kuru in humans. This communicable disease predominantly affecting goats and sheep have a very long incubation period.
Treatment:
Scrapie can cause death; this is the reason why it was classified as a fatal degenerative disease. Scrapie is untreatable. The most recommendable ways to control infectivity with other animals is through quarantine or destruction of the infected animals.
Symptoms and Signs:
Animals infected with Scrapie will experience excessive itching sensation; medically referred to as pruritus. Due to this itchy feeling, animals will suddenly scratch their fleece against surfaces of rocks, trees or fences, which will eventually result to massive scraping off. Infected animals will also present excessive lip-smacking and strange gaits. In some cases, convulsive collapse will be manifested in some animals afflicted with Scrapie.
Causes:
Scrapie is caused by a prion. The prions may infect other animals through exposure to urine of animals infected with Scrapie. Prions may still be around in the exposed environment for a very long time, which may even last for decades.
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