scrapie

views updated Jun 27 2018

scrapie Fatal disease of sheep and goats that affects the central nervous system, causing staggering and itching that makes an infected animal scrape itself against various objects. It is caused by a slow-acting, virus-like, microscopic particle called a prion. The animal usually dies within six months of exhibiting the first symptoms. The disease is thought to be related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).