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Scrapie control by cull and selective breeding: a randomised controlled trial

Reference	BS410539
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Angela McLean
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Christopher Bostock, Professor Nora Hunter
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	Div of Molecular Biology
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	744,343
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/12/1998
End date	01/12/2002
Duration	48 months

Abstract

The appearance of new variant Creutzfeld Jacob disease and its association with the causative agent of BSE has raised the general issue of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in food safety and human health. As a result it has been recommended that steps should be taken to eradicate scrapie from the UK sheep flock. The genetic basis of susceptibility to clinical scrapie in terms of PrP genotype is now well understood and this opens the possibility of scrapie control through cull and selective breeding. Selective breeding is already being actively applied in some breeds with promising early results. Now, whilst the control options are clear, but not yet in widespread use is the time to have a randomised controlled trial. Such a trial will ask: Is cull and selective breeding an effective method of scrapie control, and if not, why not?

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Biology of Spongiform Encephalopathies - Phase 4 (BS4) [1998]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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