Scrapie Research Sheep Flock

This flock of scrapie-infected sheep was started from 5 private Idaho flocks that were diagnosed with scrapie in the early 1990's. The flocks were quarantined by USDA officials, and the animals subsequently transferred to ownership of the Caine Veterinary Teaching Center for research purposes. This flock has been closed to new additions since 1995 and the disease maintained by breeding and lambing the infected ewes annually.

We currently maintain approximately 130 sheep, with about one-third of the flock showing clinical signs or testing IHC positive for scrapie in the third eyelid, rectal mucosa and/or mandibular lymph node at any one time. The flock is entirely genotyped at codons 136, 154, and 171 with a high percentage of AV and VV animals. Several government agencies, Universities and commercial companies use this flock as a source of scrapie materials for a large variety of research protocols. This arrangement is in conjunction with our collaborative research project with Baltimore Research and Education Foundation (BREF) funded as a subcontract to UI through their Department of Defense contract.

Scrapie positive and negative tissues and fluids available for research purposes.

The Caine Center also maintains a small flock of scrapie-free control sheep and has access to two genotyped USDA certified scrapie-free flocks locally.

Scrapie research at the Caine Center is under the direction of academic faculty member, Dr. Marie Bulgin, DVM. Technical support for the project is provided by Sharon Melson, MS.

Materials from either live or dead animals, including tissues and blood, are collected as needed for ongoing research protocols or on request from current collaborators. We have established a fee for this service, including: cost per quantity of material, sample collection, sample processing to prep for shipping, and shipping and handling. These fees are based on our cost for supplies, tech time, etc. Call us at 208-454-8657 for more information about scrapie infected or scrapie-free tissues. Or via email to:  sorensen@uidaho.edu

Frozen tissues currently available:

  • Brain-obex, cerebrum, cerebellum
  • Lymph nodes-retropharyngeal, mesenteric, mandibular
  • Tonsil
  • Third eyelid
  • Vagus nerve
  • Thymus
  • Spleen
  • Ileum
  • Cotyledons
  • Fetuses
  • Colostrum
  • Spinal fluid
  • Urine
  • Non-infected control samples available genotyped and OPP free, call for details

    Other tissues are available (either fresh or frozen) by special request.

    Whole blood in amounts from 1 ml to 2000 ml from same animal: control, sub-clinical or clinical.

    Sheep for serial bleeds (1 to 250 ml/bleed).

    Lymph node samples: multiple samples from eyelid, mandibular, rectal tissues

      

     

     

     

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