April 24, 2007

Wyoming sheep flock to be destroyed after disease discovery

A rare form of scrapie disease has been found in a north-eastern Wyoming flock of sheep.

They are the first US sheep to test positive for the rare strain of the disease that's similar to mad cow disease in cattle and chronic wasting disease in sheep and elk.

The entire flock of 300 sheep will be destroyed and tested.

Wyoming law prohibits officials from releasing the rancher's identity, and attempts by The Associated Press to reach him were unsuccessful.

Scrapie itself is rare in the US. Of the more than 115,000 animals tested since 2003, only 300 have tested positive.

But the Wyoming rancher's case is even more rare. Fewer than 300 cases worldwide have been recorded of the "Nor-98-like" strain of scrapie that was first diagnosed in Norway in 1998.

No known human health risks are associated with scrapie. Industry officials said there's no need for public concern, but they want to know how the strain ended up in Wyoming.