scrapie

noun

scra·pie | \ ˈskrā-pē

How to pronounce scrapie (audio)

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Definition of scrapie

: a usually fatal prion disease of sheep and goats characterized by twitching, excitability, intense itching, excessive thirst, emaciation, weakness, and finally paralysis

Examples of scrapie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Sheep have carried scrapie — effectively mad cow disease for sheep — for centuries. — Jim Robbins, New York Times, "Using Wolves as First Responders Against a Deadly Brain Disease," 12 Nov. 2020 Mad cow disease, for example, is a prion disease that rooted from scrapie, a deadly disease that afflicts sheep. — Fiza Pirani, ajc, "Scientists worry brain-wasting ‘zombie deer’ disease could spread to humans," 25 May 2018 Prions cause a variety of diseases in other animals, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a prion disease in humans), scrapie (affecting sheep and goats), and chronic wasting disease (found in mule deer, elk, and reindeer). — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Camels in Africa may have been quietly spreading prion disease for decades," 26 Apr. 2018 The disease is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), a family of diseases that includes scrapie, mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: CWD-positive deer die at three times rate of non-diseased animals in Wisconsin study," 28 Feb. 2018 The disease is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, a class of diseases that includes mad cow disease in cattle, scrapie in sheep and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. — Lee Bergquist, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Chronic wasting disease, scourge of wild deer, found for first time in Milwaukee County," 16 Jan. 2018 Chronic wasting disease is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, a family of prion diseases that includes Mad Cow and scrapie. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Kit shortage has slowed CWD testing," 9 Dec. 2017 When Prusiner started work on them, it had been established that Creutzfeldt-Jakob, kuru and a sheep disease called scrapie could be transmitted by infected brains, but nobody knew what caused it. — Kat Eschner, Smithsonian, "More Than 30 Years Since Their Discovery, Prions Still Fascinate, Terrify and Mystify Us," 6 Oct. 2017 The disease is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, a family that includes scrapie as well as mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob (both of which are fatal to humans). — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "DNR urges hunters to get deer tested for CWD," 30 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scrapie.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Scrapie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrapie. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for scrapie

scrapie

noun

English Language Learners Definition of scrapie

: a usually fatal brain disease that affects sheep

See the full definition for scrapie in the English Language Learners Dictionary

scrapie

noun

scra·pie | \ ˈskrā-pē

\

Medical Definition of scrapie

: a usually fatal prion disease of sheep and goats that is characterized by twitching, excitability, intense itching, excessive thirst, emaciation, weakness, and finally paralysis

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