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Comparative epidemiology of scrapie outbreaks in individual sheep flocks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2002

C. A. REDMAN ,
P. G. COEN ,
L. MATTHEWS ,
R. M. LEWIS ,
W. S. DINGWALL ,
J. D. FOSTER ,
M. E. CHASE-TOPPING ,
N. HUNTER  and
M. E. J. WOOLHOUSE
C. A. REDMAN
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK Current address: Scottish Centre for infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH), Clifton House, Clifton Place, Glasgow G3 7LN.
P. G. COEN
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK Current address: Academic Department of Child Health, Queen Mary and Westfield College, Royal London Hospital, London E1 1BB.
L. MATTHEWS
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
R. M. LEWIS
Affiliation:
Animal Biology Division, Scottish Agricultural College, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PH, UK
W. S. DINGWALL
Affiliation:
Animal Biology Division, Scottish Agricultural College, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PH, UK
J. D. FOSTER
Affiliation:
Institute for Animal Health Neuropathogenesis Unit, Ogston Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JF, UK
M. E. CHASE-TOPPING
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
N. HUNTER
Affiliation:
Institute for Animal Health Neuropathogenesis Unit, Ogston Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JF, UK
M. E. J. WOOLHOUSE
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
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Abstract

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Data recording the course of scrapie outbreaks in 4 sheep flocks (2 in Cheviot sheep and 2 in Suffolks) are compared. For each outbreak the data on scrapie incidence and sheep demography and pedigrees cover periods of years or decades. A key finding is that the incidence of clinical cases peaks in sheep 2–3 years old, despite very different forces-of-infection. This is consistent with age-specific susceptibility of sheep to scrapie, as has been reported for cattle to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and for humans to variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. Scrapie incidence was higher in ewes than rams and at certain times of years, though these effects were not consistent between flocks. There was no evidence for high levels of vertical transmission.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 128 , Issue 3 , June 2002 , pp. 513 - 521
Copyright
2002 Cambridge University Press