Is scrapie present in the United States?

Is scrapie present in the United States?

• A. Yes. Scrapie appeared in the United States concurrently with the recent BSE epidemic in the United Kingdom.
• B. Yes. Scrapie has been seen in U.S. sheep since the 1940s.
• C. No. Scrapie was once found in U.S. sheep, but the disease was eradicated in 2001.
• D. No. Scrapie has never been seen in animals in the United States

Answer: (B)

Scrapie is a chronic prion disease of sheep and goats with a long history in the United States. In the U.S., scrapie has been documented since the 1940s, meaning the disease was present long before the BSE outbreak in the United Kingdom. This shows that scrapie did not appear in the U.S. concurrently with UK BSE. There is ongoing surveillance and control to reduce transmission, but scrapie has not been eradicated nationwide. Therefore, the statement that scrapie has been seen in U.S. sheep since the 1940s accurately reflects its historical presence in the United States.

Scrapie is a chronic prion disease of sheep and goats with a long history in the United States. In the U.S., scrapie has been documented since the 1940s, meaning the disease was present long before the BSE outbreak in the United Kingdom. This shows that scrapie did not appear in the U.S. concurrently with UK BSE. There is ongoing surveillance and control to reduce transmission, but scrapie has not been eradicated nationwide. Therefore, the statement that scrapie has been seen in U.S. sheep since the 1940s accurately reflects its historical presence in the United States.