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Chronic debilitating disease (CDD) has been detected in several states, including Ohio, Maryland, the state of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, according to reports in the press. Here's what you need to know.
What kind of illness is it?
MDC is a disease of the nervous system that affects deer, including deer, elk and moose. It is thought that the highly contagious disease is caused by proteins known as prions, which can be transmitted through urine, stool, saliva and blood.
Once infected, an animal may have the following symptoms: head loss, movement problems, prolonged weight loss, nervousness, tremors, and other types of abnormal behavior. The disease is always fatal and has no cure available to date.
When was it first identified?
In 1967, the first case of CWD was found in captive deer, held in Colorado wildlife facilities. During the past two decades, the disease has been diagnosed in at least 23 states, mostly concentrated in the western regions.
In the United States and Canada, it has slowly spread among animals, but has also been detected in South Korea and Norway. Imported cases were found in South Korea, but Norway found that reindeer, moose and deer had been infected.
Can it infect humans?
It is largely unknown whether the MDC can pass from animals to humans. Although no human case has been documented, additional research and monitoring is needed to remove potential hazards from the list.
"All I can say, is that currently, I do not know of any evidence of transmission of MDC to people, but that does not mean that it can not happen at the same time. future, or actually has already occurred, but we can not detect it., "Kurt Giles, an expert on prion diseases, said in 2017.
What research has shown?
Scientists have tried to experiment and see if CWD can spread to macaques, primate species that are genetically similar to humans. For the most part, the studies have yielded mixed results.
In a study, which began in 2009 and was presented in 2017, primates contracted the disease after being fed muscle tissue and brain tissue from deer and elk infected with CWD. However, another survey conducted by scientists at the National Institutes of Health did not show any evidence of transmission.
Should humans take precautions?
"These experimental studies raise the concern that MDC may pose a risk to people and suggest that it is important to prevent human exposures to CWD," says the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency recommends that people avoid hunting deer that behave abnormally and avoid contact with those found dead. When handling meat, be sure to wear gloves and limit contact with brain and spinal cord tissue in particular. You can also refer to your state guidelines for more information on the CWD test in animals.
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