CWD Found in VA

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WINCHESTER, Va. (AP) -- State game department officials say chronic wasting disease has been found for the first time in a Virginia white-tailed deer.



The department says a hunter in Frederick County killed the affected deer this month, less than a mile from where the disease was found several years ago in West Virginia.



Virginia joins 17 states and Canadian provinces where the illness has been found.



Chronic wasting disease affects the brains and nervous systems of deer and elk.



Since 2001, the department has tested more than 5,000 deer, but the results had shown that the disease had not been crossing state lines.



---



Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://www.pilotonline.com
 
If you build it they will come.



In the case of illness, any illness. If you look for it you will find it. I just spoke the other day with the Dept of Ag vet. He more or less told me the best advice he can give other states is just don't look for it, then you won't find it. He believes that it (CWD) can and does just spontaneously occur and does do so everywhere.
 
There are no deer farms in Va. Maybe those elk Autry been complaining about from Ky. By the way you any kin to Gene Autry. Only problem if they don't look in these states is deer farmers will be the only ones that have it.

Tim
 
was wondering if anyone else seen or herd of the study that dr. James krull did on cwd. It was on t.v. here not to long ago. I believe that he said the wild elk and deer heard in colorado has had cwd for I want to say 40 years? Not 100% on that. He also said that only 5% of the infected animals will die from it. I can't remember all the details but none the less it was interesting and wanted to know more about it.
 
http://www.cwd-info.org/index.php/fuseaction/about.timeline



CHRONOLOGY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.



Year Event

1967 CWD was first identified as a clinical disease in captive mule deer at the Colorado Division of Wildlife Foothills Wildlife Research Facility in Fort Collins, Colorado.

1978 CWD was officially classified as a Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE). TSE?s include scrapie in sheep and goats, Mad Cow disease in cattle, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.

1979 CWD was first recognized in captive mule deer and black-tailed deer at the Wyoming Fish and Game Department?s Sybille wildlife research facility.



CWD was diagnosed in captive elk for the first time.

1981 The Colorado Division of Wildlife identified CWD in a wild elk, marking the first documented case of CWD in a wild cervid.

1985 The Colorado Division of Wildlife confirmed the presence of CWD in a wild mule deer for the first time.



The Colorado Division of Wildlife attempted to eliminate CWD from the Fort Collins Foothills Wildlife Research Facility by treating the soil with chlorine, removing the treated soil, and applying an additional chlorine treatment before letting the facility remain vacant for more than a year. The effort was unsuccessful.



The Wyoming Fish and Game Department identified CWD in a wild mule deer, marking the state?s first case of CWD in a wild cervid.

1996 CWD was found for the first time outside of the Colorado/Wyoming CWD ?endemic zone? in a captive elk farm in Saskatchewan.

1997 CWD is identified on several captive elk facilities in South Dakota, marking the first documented cases of CWD in the state.

1999 The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission discovered CWD in a wild mule deer, the state?s first documented case of the disease.

2000 CWD was found in a Saskatchewan mule deer, marking the first time the disease was found in the province?s wild cervids.

2001 The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources detected CWD in wild white-tailed deer, the state?s first documented case of CWD.



South Dakota discovered CWD in wild white-tailed deer for the first time.



Nebraska discovered CWD in a captive white-tailed deer facility for the first time

2002 The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish discovered CWD in a mule deer near White Sands Missile Range. This is the first case of CWD in the state of New Mexico.



The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed the presence of CWD in a captive elk, the state?s first documented case of the disease.



The 1st International CWD Symposium was held in Denver, Colorado.



The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources detected CWD in a captive white-tailed deer, the state?s first documented case of CWD in captive cervids.



Saskatchewan detected CWD in a mule deer outside of the province?s previously delineated CWD containment area.



CWD is detected in a captive elk facility in Oklahoma, marking the first time the disease was found in the state.



The Illinois Department of Natural Resources discovered CWD in a wild white-tailed deer, the state?s first documented case of CWD.



The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks discovered CWD in wild elk from the Wind Cave National Park. This documented the first case of CWD found in the state?s wild elk populations.



The first case of CWD in Alberta was found at a white-tailed deer farm near Edmonton.



Wyoming confirmed the first case of CWD in a mule deer west of the Continental Divide.





2003 The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources detected CWD in a wild mule deer, marking the state?s first case of CWD.



A dot blot ELISA test for CWD, developed by VMRD, Inc., was licensed for CWD testing.



United States Department of Agriculture licensed a CWD dot plot (ELISA) test developed by VMRD, Inc. The test analyzes retropharyngeal lymph node samples and has a turnaround time of approximately 24 hours.



U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) introduced a comprehensive bi-partisan bill targeted at coordinating and increasing federal response to CWD management.



Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced two bills created to assist states in combating the spread of CWD; the National Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force Establishment Act and the Chronic Wasting Disease Research, Monitoring, and Education Enhancement Act.



The United States Department of Agriculture approved a second-generation CWD test developed by Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.



Congress approved a bill that includes $4.2 million to expand research on CWD in wild deer and elk populations.





2004 Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced creation of a federal interagency working group to identify gaps in scientific knowledge about abnormal prion proteins and promote coordination of prion research projects by federal agencies.



CWD was set as a national priority for piloting a Wildlife Disease Action Plan by the Canadian Councils of Resource Ministers.



The Wyoming Game and Fish Department discovered the presence of CWD for the first time on the east slope of the Snowy Range Mountains in the north-central part of the state.



The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission confirmed a case of CWD in a white-tailed deer near the town of Grand Island. This is approximately 250 miles east of the Panhandle where all previous cases of CWD had been documented.

2005 The Colorado Division of Wildlife identified a case of CWD in a mule deer south of Colorado Springs. This is the farthest south on the Front Range that CWD has been detected.



The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets confirmed the presence of CWD in a captive white-tailed deer, marking the state?s first documented case of CWD.



The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation discovered CWD in a wild white-tailed deer from Oneida County. This documented the first case of CWD found in the state?s wild deer populations.



The 2nd International CWD Symposium was held in Madison, Wisconsin.



The first documented case of CWD in West Virginia is identified in a wild white-tailed deer.



The Colorado Division of Wildlife confirmed the first documented case of CWD in a wild moose.



Alberta discovered a case of CWD in a wild mule deer, marking the first time CWD was found in the province?s wild cervids.



The New Mexico Department of Fish and Game discovered CWD in two wild elk from the Sacramento Mountains, documenting the first cases of CWD found in the state?s wild elk populations.

2006 Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks discovered CWD in a white-tailed deer from Cheyenne County. This is the first time CWD was found in the state.



Researchers at the University of Kentucky found that CWD prions are present in the leg muscles of infected deer.



The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed that a captive white-tailed deer from Lac Qui Parle County tested positive for CWD. This is the state?s first case of CWD.



University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers discovered that infectious prions adhere to specific soil minerals where they remain infective.



The New Mexico Game and Fish Department identified CWD in a mule deer on the Stallion site of White Sands Missile Range, 75 miles further north of the state?s northernmost infection area.



Colorado State University researchers found that infectious prions are capable of transmitting CWD through saliva and blood.



The Colorado Division of Wildlife reported finding two additional moose with CWD in the northern part of the state.

2007 The first white-tailed deer to test positive for CWD in Alberta was identified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.



The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources published an e-book addressing various modeling approaches to describe the spatial epidemiology of CWD.



Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison revealed that the infectivity of prions significantly increases when they are bound to certain soil minerals.

2008 The first cases of CWD in Saskatchewan?s wild elk population are found in the province's east-central region.



Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture?s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Colorado State University developed a new pre-mortem CWD test for elk.



The Michigan Department of Natural Resources detected CWD in a captive white-tailed deer from Kent County. This is state?s first documented case of CWD.



The Wyoming Game and Fish Department discovered CWD in a wild moose. This is the first time a moose infected with CWD is found outside of Colorado.



Elk meat sold at a Longmont, Colorado farmers market was found to come from a captive elk infected with CWD.





2010 The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) received laboratory confirmation on January 19, 2010, that a white-tailed deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

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Web site development by Pyron Technologies, Inc.
 
Tim,



In regard to your question about being kin to Gene Autry, the answer is yes.



Gene's Great Grand Father was a brother to my Great, Great Grand Father
 
CWD is one of the biggest boondoggles in government spending. WI spent I think it was like 13 or maybe 31 million on eradicating it. What a joke. Most bucks in the wild will be shot before they could even show any symptoms since most deer taken are 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 years of age. In WI - the eradication zone now has more deer than it has ever had. The rest of the state with no CWD has the lowest number of deer in many years. So what sort of conclusion can we draw from this - if you ever took a logic class the conclusion would have to be that CWD increases the wild herd. Can you imagine that written in any article????
 
I'm no scientist but I'd say CWD has been around for a very long time. It was just never realized until someone went poking around. I'd also have to guess that disease has to do with very high populations of animals from the reports I have read. Has anyone shown that CWD actually causes any problems with wildlife outside of the host? And even at that CWD is not fatal 100% of the time (much lower from what I have read). So what is the purpose of spending all of this money to erradicate it? Just my thoughts
 
David,

I guess now the question is can you sing. Wild Rivers---- Very obvious to you and I that CWD causes Whitetail Deer to have a higher conception rate, be a more intelligent animal (displayed by their ability to avoid hunters therefore increasing their numbers), live longer, and taste better(I made that one up). Any person with common sense would wonder how all the lives of deer farmers across the country, good , honest hard working people, were disrupted and destroyed by so called pro's (thats what they call each other) in search of money or recognition. Maybe they will get the recognition they deserve, and I hope I am there to see it. ---Acutting---- I don't know if CWD is always fatal(I don't think so) but the test sure is.
 
IndependenceRanch said:
If you build it they will come.



In the case of illness, any illness. If you look for it you will find it. I just spoke the other day with the Dept of Ag vet. He more or less told me the best advice he can give other states is just don't look for it, then you won't find it. He believes that it (CWD) can and does just spontaneously occur and does do so everywhere.



I feel like many of you and believe the disease has been here infecting deer for as long as there have been deer on this earth. Now that the experts have started to look for the disease they will find it. I also believe CWD is spontaneous and this scares me. There seems to be many cases of CWD pop up and the media and disease agencies will say something like and there wasn't a game farm anywhere near the positive CWD animal. If this is the case it is just a matter of time and testing till one is found on our farms and we become the big looser in this game of russian rulet.



The agencies are milking this for all it is worth. It all means more money to the agencies and more jobs. Right or wrong they are in control at this time.



We as an industry will just have to fight it the best we can and hope reasonable minds will prevail.
 
I too believe it has always been here and someone just decided to start looking for it. How else can you explain the widespread findings - even in New Mexico - where they can't point at deer farmers. They never considered the fact either that deer farmers aren't bringing in deer from those areas out west where CWD has been around for over half a century. We are just an easy target. On the one hand I'm glad they are randomly testing the wild herd or like someone said, the only place they would ever find it is on a deer farm. There are probably many other diseases out there that no one is testing for that kill deer as well.



Andrew - why did they try to eradicate it - it was the hype and hysteria. It was a doomed effort from the start and millions of dollars were thrown away on it. You can never eradicate a disease in the wild - duh! Just shows how common sense went out the window, but then, government has never been known for common sense. Also Andrew - Gary will be getting back to you soon on that issue you discussed. We've just been catching up since he got home.
 
Tim Condict said:
David,

I guess now the question is can you sing.



Tim, I can honestly say that you would be truly amazed if you heard me sing. :cool:



You would probably be wondering what I did with the money that Mom gave me for singing lessons. :)
 
More deer test positive for CWD



By John McCoy



January 23, 2010



West Virginia wildlife officials say they're "not pleased, but not surprised" to learn that 16 additional Hampshire County deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease.



The infected whitetails were among 1,091 killed during the Hampshire County's 2009 buck-hunting season. Division of Natural Resources officials set up special game-checking stations to take tissue samples from hunter-killed deer and have them tested.



The 16 CWD-positive results were the most discovered in a single batch since sampling began in 2005. Overall, 2 1/2 times as many infected deer turned up in 2009 than were discovered in 2008. Paul Johansen, the DNR's assistant wildlife chief, called the findings "unwelcome."



"It's definitely something we didn't want to see," he said.



Eight previous sampling efforts averaged fewer than six infected animals. The highest previous total was 11 CWD-positive whitetails, collected by teams of DNR sharpshooters in 2008.



Johansen said the most troubling information that came from last fall's sampling effort was that three of the deer were killed outside the DNR's "CWD Containment Zone," the area of Hampshire County north of U.S. 50 where hunters may not feed or bait deer and must specially prepare whitetail carcasses before transporting them outside the county.



"This wasn't the first time we've had deer test positive outside the containment zone," Johansen said. "But this past season we had three. That does give us pause; we're certainly considering the option of expanding the containment zone."



He added that "the issue will certainly be discussed" when DNR biologists meet later this month to fine-tune the agency's game-management plans for 2010. "We'll consider the data, and from those data we'll make our recommendations. Nothing is decided yet."



Johansen said the DNR has "thrown everything but the kitchen sink" at the Hampshire County CWD outbreak, but the disease has continued its slow spread despite the effort.



"I'm confident, based on the current level of knowledge [about the disease], that we're taking the proper courses of action," he said. "As more knowledge comes in, we'll fine-tune our strategies."



If biologists recommend to expand the containment zone or to impose further restrictions on carcass handling or transport, DNR Director Frank Jezioro will decide whether to implement those changes.



"The decision lies with the director," Johansen said. "He has the legal authority. All we [biologists] can do is to make recommendations."



http://wvgazette.com/Outdoors/201001230525
 
Here's what we get in an email



CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE, CERVID - USA: (WEST VIRGINIA) 2009

***********************************************************

A ProMED-mail post

<http://www.promedmail.org

ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases

<http://www.isid.org



Date: Sat 16 Jan 2009

Source: West Virginia Metro News [edited]

<http://www.wvmetronews.com/outdoors.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=34690





16 new CWD cases found in Hampshire County

------------------------------------------

The slow growth and spread of chronic wasting disease [CWD] continues in

West Virginia. DNR [Division of Natural Resources] Biologists report 16

deer killed by hunters in the 2009 deer season tested positive for the

presence of CWD. The DNR pulled those positives from 1091 deer killed by

hunters in Hampshire at local checking stations during the season.



"It's not the greatest news and certainly wasn't the Christmas present I

was hoping to open, but you know when you're dealing with CWD and lots of

unknowns associated with it, having a result with 16 positives was not

necessarily unexpected at all," said Paul Johansen, chief of the DNR's Game

Management on West Virginia Outdoors.



The 16 infected whitetails included one 4.5 year old doe, a 2.5 year old

doe, one 1.5 year old buck, ten 2.5 year old bucks, and three 3.5 year old

bucks.



The DNR discovered chronic wasting disease in 2005 in a road killed deer

near the community of Slanesville. Since that time a containment zone was

established north of Route 50 in Hampshire County with special restrictions

on hunting and constant monitoring. This year's [2009] count included

13-infected deer within that zone and 2 from outside the border, but still

within Hampshire County.



"This is not the 1st time we've detected a positive outside that

containment zone," said Johansen. "We're going to have to take a look at

that containment zone and see if it should be expanded."



CWD is an incredibly slow disease. Although deer may be infected, they show

no signs of the illness until in the very last stages when they become

emaciated and disoriented. Otherwise, infected deer show no signs they are

carrying the virus without testing of the brain or spinal tissue.

Researchers conclude feeding or baiting deer is one of the fastest ways to

spread the virus with nose-to-nose contact. Restrictions have been placed

on feeding and baiting deer in the containment area.



"Despite our agency's best efforts, we continue to struggle with CWD in

Hampshire County," said DNR director Frank Jezioro. "I am particularly

concerned that some individuals are not complying with regulations

prohibiting the feeding and baiting of deer within the Hampshire County CWD

Containment Area."



"In certain areas of the containment zone we have information to indicate

there is some baiting and feeding activity that's going on," said Johansen.

"That concerns us as we try to grapple with this disease." The agency plans

to renew efforts to engage the public's help in controlling the spread and

compliance with restrictions enacted to slow the spread. Those efforts will

include additional law enforcement activities if needed.



"As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement

appropriate management strategies, the continued support and involvement of

landowners and hunters will be essential," Jezioro said. "The WVDNR remains

committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife

disease management actions as we go forward."



The CWD Management Strategy to this point includes the following

restrictions in Hampshire County:

- implemented CWD testing efforts designed to determine the prevalence and

distribution of the disease;

- established antlerless deer hunting regulations designed to increase

hunter opportunity to harvest female deer, adjust deer populations to

desired levels, and reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to

deer;

- established deer carcass transport restrictions designed to lower the

risk of moving the disease to other locations;

- established regulations designed to prohibit the feeding and baiting of

deer within the affected area and reduce the risk of spreading the disease

from deer to deer.



Hunters concerned about consumption of venison from infected animals are

advised to use their own judgment. Researchers and DNR biologist say

there's no known instance of CWD affecting humans.



[byline: Chris Lawrence]



--

communicated by:

HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail

[email protected]



[As hunting seasons across the United States draw to a close, we are likely

to see several reports indicating a slow spread in some states as the

surveillance of hunter-killed animals become tested, tabulated, and

reported. It is important to remember that CWD has not been shown to have

transmissibility to humans. - Mod.TG



West Virginia can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map

at <http://healthmap.org/r/012T. Hampshire County can be seen on the map

at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampshire_County,_West_Virginia. -

Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]



[see also:

2009

---

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (04): (WV) 20090601.2041

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA: (WV) 20090101.0004

2008

---

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (09): (WV) 20081223.4039

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (04): (WV) 20080509.1580
 
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE, CERVID - USA (02): (VIRGINIA)

******************************************************

A ProMED-mail post

<http://www.promedmail.org

ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases

<http://www.isid.org



Date: 21 Jan 2010

Source: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries news release [edited]

<http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/news/release.asp?id=246





Chronic wasting disease found in white-tailed deer in Virginia

--------------------------------------------------------------

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) received

laboratory confirmation on 19 Jan 2010, that a white-tailed deer (WTD) had

tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). This is the 1st

confirmed case of CWD in Virginia. The deer was killed by a hunter in

Frederick County less than one mile from the West Virginia line. With this

case, Virginia now joins 17 other states and Canadian provinces with CWD, 5

of which are east of the Mississippi River.



"This was not unexpected," stated VDGIF executive director Bob Duncan. "Our

wildlife professionals have been preparing for this for some time. The

surveillance efforts have been critical and we appreciate the hunters,

check station operators, and other cooperators who have supported our efforts."



CWD is a disease of deer and has not been found to be transmitted to humans

or other animals. To learn more about CWD in Virginia and about the

agency's CWD Response Plan visit <http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/cwd.



This is the 1st positive test sample out of nearly 5000 deer tested in the

Commonwealth since 2001. VDGIF has been sampling hunter-killed and

road-killed deer from the Active Surveillance Area in western Frederick and

Shenandoah counties since 2005, when CWD was 1st detected near Slanesville,

West Virginia, within 10 miles of the state line. Between 2005 and 2009,

CWD has been detected in 62 deer in Hampshire County, West Virginia, out of

nearly 10 000 total deer sampled during that time. Several have been found

within 5 miles of the Virginia line.



Agency officials from West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR)

and VDGIF continue to share information and coordinate their responses. For

more information on CWD in West Virginia please see the WVDNR website at

<http://www.wvdnr.org/. VDGIF is also working in consultation with the US

Department of Agriculture and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services.



--

communicated by:

Terry S Singeltary Sr

<[email protected]

and HealthMap Alerts via

ProMED-mail [email protected]





[Chronic wasting disease is a member of the transmissible spongiform

encephalopathy family and is one of the few found in North America. It is

believed to be caused by a prion, not a virus , bacterium, or virion. The

exact mechanism of action may be undefined. There are many worthwhile

research papers on the subject. This is a neurological disease that causes

the animal to become thin, weak, stagger, stumble, and eventually die.

Diagnosis is confirmed through testing a portion of the brain stem.



While most white-tailed deer have a home range of about 1 to 1.5 miles in

diameter, they can stray farther and easily cross state boundaries. - Mod.TG



The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for Virginia is available at

<http://healthmap.org/r/00tK. - CopyEd.EJP]





[see also:

Chronic wasting disease, cervid - USA: (WV) 2009 20100120.0224

2009

---

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (10): (WY) 20091112.3925

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (09): (WY) 20091106.3841

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (08): (MN) depopulation 20091031.3770

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (07): (WY) 20091015.3548

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (06): (MN) culling 20090923.3344

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (05): disease spread 20090911.3198

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA (04): (WV) 20090601.2041

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - Canada: (SK) 20090417.1462

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA: (AZ) conf. absence 20090416.1447

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - Canada: (AB) 20090327.1192

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - Canada: (AB) 20090131.0444

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA: (MN) 20090131.0443

Chronic wasting disease, cervids - USA: (WV) 20090101.0004]
 
We get updates on TB also.

Unfortunately not EHD and Blue Tongue which seems to kill more deer.

If anyone is interested I could email or post them.

I normally don't post it... as not to add fuel to any fake fire...but you can pull some interesting things out of them!
 
As Autry has shown in the CWD Alliance timeline. CWD, as it is current know, has been around for over 40 years.



While there certainly could be spontaneous CWD, just like there is spontaneous CJD in humans, the presence of that time line suggests, but does not confirm, that CWD in its current form CAN be transmitted as well.



Unfortunately, the current data suggests that the form of CWD found in all these new areas "appears" to be the same or a similar strain to that found in Colorado originally, and since Co State University and the CO Div of Wildlife shipped live animals and diseased tissue to several places around the country, many of those occurances can be explained by sloppy govt handling of infected animals or tissues. Certainly WI can be explained that way.



Also, since wild shot carcasses have been harvested from NE Colorado for decades and certainly some of those heads and bones and maybe guts and things have ended up dumped around the country, then CWD may have been planted in literally hundreds of areas. If those carcasses were postive for CWD, then that area of any state could be a point source for CWD. the NY occurances seem to have come from a taxidemist that had worked on CO shot animals. INsect transmisson can explain the New Mexico occurances.



Now, is CWD always fatal. Well, YES if you consider that to test a brain you have to kill the animal! But is it fatal if infected, I am not so sure. ONLY if the disease agent reaches the nervous system and hence the brain, is it fatal. I personally beleive that you can surpress the disease with antibiotics, and in fact some animals are seemingly immune to it. (studies of genetic L vs M type elk, for example). If animals can be immune and if antibiotics suppress the disease, then this worrisome prion theory is potentially BUNK! The animals seem to react to it the same way they do to other diseases, just they are more diffiult to diagnose.



CWD has no effect on any other wildlife other than the Deer species. Scrapie, also a TSE disease can affect sheep and goats both wild and domestic. BSE so far has been found in beef and I beleive a musk ox or another kind of bovine. Id have to check on that one.



the worry is (hence the eratification efforts) is that it is a cousin of Mad Cow disease which caused a deaded brain disease in humans (about 200 people out of what? 100 million that had eaten the meat of ~100,000 infect beefs). Not exactly a major disease, JUST a deadful one.



As our current chief of staff at the Whitehouse has said. You never want to let a good crisis go to waste. FREE MONEY FOR ALL GOVT AGENCIES that work on it!:(
 

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