Identification of atypical scrapie in Canadian sheep.

The article discusses a study which identified three cases of atypical scrapie in Canadian sheep. Based on results obtained from independent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and investigation of the molecular profile of the isolate by Western blot analysis, the detected cases involved a clinically normal 6-year old, mixed breed ewe, a 5-8-year old Rambouillet ewe, and a sheep culled from a 650 animal commercial flock. The study differentiated the epidemiology, histopathology and biochemical characteristics of atypical scrapie from classic scrapie.