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Outbreak of Classical Scrapie Confirmed in Argentina: Loss of Disease-Free Status, Severe Impact on Sheep Product Exports

On April 10, 2026, Argentina's National Service for Agrifood Health and Quality (SENASA) issued an official announcement confirming outbreaks of classical scrapie at two commercial breeding farms in the provinces of Santa Fe and Entre Ríos. The confirmation of these outbreaks means Argentina has lost its disease-free status for scrapie, which will severely impact the country's sheep product exports and serves as a wake-up call for the global veterinary medicine and biosecurity sectors.

Course of the Outbreak: Cases in Two Provinces with 100% Mortality

The outbreak did not occur without warning. As early as the end of March 2026, a farm breeding Dorper sheep in Santa Fe Province showed unusual signs. Some adult sheep gradually developed typical neurological symptoms including frequent itching, ataxia, severe weight loss, teeth grinding, and lethargy, with 100% mortality among affected animals. The farm owner promptly reported the situation to SENASA, and staff quickly visited the site to collect samples for laboratory testing. On April 8, laboratory results confirmed positive cases of classical scrapie.

Subsequently, SENASA inspected another breeding farm in Entre Ríos Province that had close links to the affected farm, and positive samples were also detected. Both farms have been placed under emergency quarantine, and culling and safe disposal of the affected flocks are underway.

Understanding the Disease: The Harm and Transmission Characteristics of Scrapie

Scrapie is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that primarily affects the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It has a long incubation period and high fatality rate, and currently there are no effective vaccines or treatments. The disease is listed as a notifiable animal disease by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and is a key target of import quarantine for animals and animal products worldwide.

The main transmission routes of scrapie include horizontal and vertical transmission between ewes and lambs. Contaminated pastures, pens, equipment, and other items can all serve as sources of infection. Notably, the scrapie agent is highly resistant to conventional disinfection methods and requires dedicated disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide for thorough treatment.

The confirmation of these outbreaks means Argentina has lost its official certification as a scrapie-free country. According to industry analysts, exports of Argentine wool, mutton, and live breeding sheep will face temporary restrictions from major trading partners, significantly narrowing export channels in the short term.

Industry Impact: Export Halted, Years of Recovery Ahead for the Industry Chain

Argentina is one of the world's important exporters of wool and mutton, with sheep farming highly concentrated in regions such as Santa Fe and Entre Ríos. The outbreak has dealt a heavy blow to local farmers and related industry chains.

The president of the Argentine Livestock Association said in an interview: "This is a disastrous blow to Argentina's sheep industry. Not only have we lost export markets, but the domestic market is also collapsing. It may take years for the entire industry chain to recover." Preliminary estimates suggest that direct and indirect economic losses from the outbreak could reach tens of millions of dollars, affecting farming, feed, veterinary medicines, slaughtering and processing, export trade, and other sectors.

For the veterinary drug industry, the ripple effects of this outbreak are worth noting. On one hand, demand for disinfectants, protective equipment, and diagnostic reagents will increase significantly in the affected and surrounding areas following the outbreak. On the other hand, the Argentine government is stepping up efforts to rebuild its disease-free status, which will promote the application of technologies such as veterinary diagnostic reagents and genetic screening. Additionally, fluctuations in livestock numbers due to the outbreak may have a temporary impact on overall veterinary drug demand.

Response Measures: Prevention and Control Combined with Eradication, Striving to Rebuild Disease-Free Status

Faced with the serious outbreak situation, SENASA has quickly activated multiple response measures to fully control the spread of the disease and strive to re-establish disease-free status as soon as possible.

In terms of surveillance, SENASA has launched a national scrapie monitoring program, conducting comprehensive inspections of all imported sheep farms and breeding sheep farms. Professional testing methods such as immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting are being used, along with genetic screening of high-risk flocks to identify susceptible individuals, enabling early detection and response.

Regarding border control, Argentina has strengthened import quarantine measures, prohibiting the import of sheep from scrapie-affected areas and imposing stricter isolation observation and long-term tracking on all imported animals to block pathways for disease introduction.

For disease eradication, the Argentine government is strictly following technical guidelines for scrapie control, thoroughly disinfecting affected premises. Disinfectants sensitive to prions, such as 5% sodium hypochlorite and iodine-based products, are being used to fully treat contaminated items, vehicles, animal housing, and premises to prevent further spread. At the same time, positive flocks and susceptible animals in contact are being culled and safely disposed of to ensure the safety of humans and livestock.

Global Perspective: Implications for the Veterinary Drug Industry

The scrapie outbreak in Argentina offers several important lessons for the global veterinary drug and livestock sectors. First, the risk of cross-border transmission of animal diseases always exists, and countries must continuously strengthen their biosecurity systems. Second, maintaining disease-free status requires long-term investment; once lost, the economic costs and recovery expenses are extremely high. Finally, veterinary drug companies should pay attention to the research, development, and stockpiling of products related to disease prevention and control, including high-efficacy disinfectants, diagnostic reagents, and genetic screening technologies. These areas have the potential to become new growth points for the industry.

International livestock technology and related sectors will continue to monitor the progress of the outbreak, providing timely information for the industry.