"Zombie deer disease" reported in 23 states; may one day be a threat to humans



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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a deer-like deer and elk disease continues to spread throughout the United States. This disease, often called "zombie deer disease," is more properly termed chronic wasting disease. scientists say. Until now, no case of the disease has been reported in the Carolinas. It is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease, first identified in the 1960s. It is similar to mad cow disease because it is transmitted by prions, pathogenic proteins that do not are not alive and therefore can not be killed. When the disease infects an animal, prions eat away at its brain and often cause symptoms that look like dementia and eventually cause death. As MDC progresses, infected animals may experience a variety of behavioral and appearance changes, including: Drastic weight loss (weight loss) NarcoticLack of coordinationListlessnessDroolingExcessive thirst or urinationLittle earsLack of fear was found in North American elk, red deer, mule deer, black deer, white-tailed deer, Sika deer, reindeer and moose in parts of Canada and the United States, as well as In Norway and South Korea. According to the CDC, 251 counties in 24 US states reported chronic wasting disease in deer released from January 2019, including: individuals, but the CDC warns that some animal studies suggest that CWD poses a risk for certain types of non-human primates, such as monkeys eating meat from animals infected with CWD or coming into contact with the brain or bodily fluids from infected deer or elk. These studies raise fears of risks for people. Since 1997, the World Health Organization has recommended preventing known prion disease agents from entering the human food chain. It is often difficult to diagnose an infected animal based solely on symptoms, as many symptoms of CWD are also manifested with other diseases and malnutrition. According to the CDC, CWD does not seem to naturally infect cattle or other domestic animals. The latter is still deadly, according to experts. If the CWD could spread to humans, it is probably by eating the meat of infected deer and elk, according to the CDC. In a survey conducted by the CDC in 2006-2007 with US residents, nearly 20% of those surveyed said they hunted deer or elk and more than two-thirds ate venison meat or of elk. The CDC said that to date, there was no solid evidence of the presence of CWD in humans, and it is not known if people can be infected with prions from the MDC, but the CDC still recommends precautions. Hunters capturing wild deer and elk in areas When reported, CWD should check wildlife and public health advice to determine if testing of animals is recommended or required in a given state or region, says the CDC. The CDC urges hunters to consider testing these animals before eating meat in areas where CWD is known to exist. To be as safe as possible and to reduce the potential risk of exposure to CWD, hunters must follow the following steps when hunting in areas with CWD: Do not shoot, handle, and eat no stag and elk meat that look sick, act strangely or are found dead (killed on the road). When you dress up a deer field: check the status of wildlife and instructions public health to see if animals are recommended or required. Recommendations vary from state to state, but many national wildlife agencies provide information on testing. Consider testing deer or elk before eating meat. If you have your stag or your momentum in a commercial way, ask for your pet to be transformed. individually to avoid mixing the meat of several animals.If your pet has a positive test for MDC, do not eat the meat of that animal.Wear latex or rubber gloves when dressing the animal. animal or meat handling.Minimize how much you handle the animal's organs, especially the brain or spinal cord tissue.Do not use household knives or knives. other kitchen utensils for field preparation work. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease and Policy Research at the University of Minnesota, said it was "likely" that man will come down with the disease after eating meat "in the coming years," reported USA Today.

A disease in deer and elk that has earned a scary nickname continues to spread throughout the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to scientists, the disease, often referred to as "zombie deer disease," is more commonly referred to as chronic wasting disease.

Until now, no case of the disease has been reported in the Carolinas.

The disease is a progressive, life-threatening neurodegenerative disease that was first identified in the 1960s. It resembles mad cow disease in that it is transmitted by prions, pathogenic proteins that are not not yet alive and therefore can not be killed.

When the disease infects an animal, prions eat away at the brain, often causing symptoms that look like dementia and eventually lead to death.

As CWD progresses, infected animals may experience various changes in their behavior and appearance, including:

  • Drastic weight loss
  • Stumbling
  • Lack of coordination
  • Apathy
  • slime
  • Excessive thirst or urination
  • Ears falling
  • Lack of fear
File & # x20; photo & # x20; of & # x20; white & # x20; tail & # x20; suede

Larry Smith, Flickr

Photo file, white-tailed deer

CWD has been found in elk, deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, white-tailed deer, Sika deer, reindeer and moose from North America in parts of Canada and Canada. United States, as well as Norway and South Korea.

According to the CDC, as of January 2019, 251 counties in 24 states in the United States had reported chronic wasting disease in wild deer, including:

  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • Illinois
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Dakota
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

So far, no cases of MDC infection have been reported in humans, but the CDC warns that some animal studies suggest that CWD poses a risk for certain types of non-human primates , such as monkeys that feed on meat from infected animals. or come into contact with cerebral or bodily fluids from infected deer or elk.

These studies raise fears of risks for people.

Since 1997, the World Health Organization has recommended preventing any known prion disease agent from entering the human food chain.

It is often difficult to diagnose an infected animal based solely on the symptoms, as many symptoms of CWD also occur with other diseases and malnutrition.

MDC does not appear to naturally infect cattle or other domestic animals, according to the CDC.

CWD is always fatal, experts say.

According to the CDC, if MDC could spread to people, it would probably be by eating infected deer and elk meat.

In a survey conducted by the CDC in 2006-2007 with US residents, nearly 20% of those surveyed said they hunted deer or elk and more than two-thirds ate venison meat or of elk.

The CDC stated that, to date, there is no strong evidence for the occurrence of CWD in people, and it is not known if people can be infected with MDC prions, but the CDC recommends always precautions.

Hunters capturing wild deer and elk in areas where CWD has been reported should check wildlife and public health advice to determine if animal testing is recommended or required in a given state or region, indicates the CDC. In areas where the presence of CWD is known, the CDC urges hunters to examine these animals before consuming them.

To be as safe as possible and to reduce the potential risk of exposure to CWD, hunters should take the following steps when hunting in areas where CWD is present:

  • Do not shoot, handle or eat deer and elk meat that looks sick, behaves strangely or is dead (roadkill).

When dressing a deer on the ground:

  • Check the advice of the state of wildlife and public health to find out if animal testing is recommended or required. The recommendations vary from state to state, but many national wildlife agencies provide information about the tests.
  • Think strongly about testing deer or elk for CWD before eating the meat.
  • If your deer or moose are processed commercially, ask that your pet be treated individually to avoid mixing the meat of several animals.
  • If your pet has a positive test for CWD, do not eat meat from this animal.
  • Wear latex or rubber gloves when dressing the animal or handling the meat.
  • Minimize your ability to handle animal organs, especially the brain or spinal cord tissues.
  • Do not use kitchen knives or other kitchen utensils to dress in the field.

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said that it was "likely" that humans contract the disease after eating meat "in the years to come, "USA Today reported.

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