Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE)
Syn: Prion disease, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy(BSE), Scrapie in sheep and goats
The National TSE Surveillance Program (NTSESP) is a national program jointly funded by government and industry to demonstrate Australia's ongoing freedom from BSE and scrapie, and to provide early detection of those diseases should they occur. The NTSESP provides payments for producers, private veterinarians and government agencies for the submission of specimens for laboratory testing from adult cattle and sheep with progressive neurological disease.
- A completed NTSESP Clinical History and Post-mortem Report Form.
- A completed Specimen Submission Form.
Diagnosis
Clinical signs of progressive neurological disease, histopathology. Immunocytochemistry is used to specifically identify accumulated abnormal prion protein (PrP), usually in the brain and cord.
Specimens required
- Brain and cord in buffered formalin for histopathology.
- Fresh, chilled cervical spinal cord for detection of prion protein.
It is prudent to routinely collect at least a sample of fresh, unfixed cervical spinal from all cases of progressive neurological disease in any animal species, for testing for PrP if required.