Scrapie I. Transmission and Pathogenesis

Abstract

Homogenized brain, extracts, and residues of brain from normal and scrapie sheep were inoculated into 116 sheep. Of 72 sheep inoculated with scrapie material 27 developed the disease, whereas four of 44 inoculated with ;normal' brain material showed symptoms similar to those of scrapie. The scrapie agent survived extraction for 18 hours with diethyl ether followed by water for 24 hours. Similarly the agent survived extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus with 95 per cent ethanol containing 2.0 per cent 4 M HC1 for 24 hours. There was no evidence of demyelination in sections of brain and spinal cord supporting the view that allergic encephalomyelitis is not responsible for the scrapie symptoms. Liver function, as measured by the bromsulfalein test, remained normal until just before death. These results preclude that liver dysfunction contributes to the disease but do not exclude the possibilities of other metabolic derangements.