Immediately recognised as a scrapie-like disorder, BSE became the subject of intensive epidemiological studies which continue today, over 50,000 cases later. It is fortunate that unlike scrapie of sheep, BSE is not contagious and does not appear to spread by maternal transmission. The entire BSE story to date forms the foundation of this issue of the Review in the chapter by Dr R.H. Kimberlin who has had a professional lifetime of experience and achievement in the research of scrapie and is also an acclaimed international consultant on scrapie, BSE and related diseases. The chapter on scrapie by Dr L.A. Detwiler is remarkable for its breadth of coverage of the natural disease in sheep, goats and moufflon, as well as the experimental disease in sheep and mice. Some of the very latest data is given on genetic and transmission studies.
Control is covered in depth, drawing on knowledge distilled from many countries across the world.
The areas of uncertainty are identified. The chapter on molecular biology of scrapie-like agents is comprehensive, and written in a clear manner for such a complex subject by Drs A.D. Bennett, C.R. Birkett and C.J. Bostock who are amongst the foremost researchers in this area. The final chapter is designed to link for the preceding papers of this book. Dr Matthews present the very latest field and research data on the disease and indicate what further work needs to be conducted. It is presented clearly and highlights some of the current ideas on control of the most enigmatic disease of all - scrapie of sheep.