Recognising transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and the role of the practising vet

Background : Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a group of insidious, invariably fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by infectious agents known as prions. This includes scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, feline spongiform encephalopathy in felids, chronic wasting disease in cervids, and Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease in people. BSE became a notifiable disease in 1988 with scrapie following in 1993. However, much is still unknown about the origins, pathogenesis or properties of prions. As custodians of animal welfare and public health, veterinarians must be able to recognise signs of the disease and continue to play a critical role in the surveillance and control of prion diseases, both known and unknown. Aim of the article : This article provides an overview of prion disease in various species to guide clinical veterinarians in diagnosis where they suspect transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). It also informs veterinarians of TSE threats on the horizon, such as chronic wasting disease and camelid prion disease.