About Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD):
- It is a progressive and fatal neurological disease affecting deer, elk, moose, and other cervids (members of the deer family).
- It's caused by abnormal proteins called prions that damage brain tissue, leading to severe neurological symptoms, weight loss, and eventually death.
- CWD is part of a group of diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), which also include mad cow disease in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
- Transmission:
- CWD spreads between animals through bodily fluids, like saliva, urine, and feces, as well as contaminated soil and plants.
- There is currently no evidence that CWD can infect humans.
- The disease can persist in the environment for long periods, making it challenging to control.
- Symptoms:
- Symptoms appear slowly and may include drastic weight loss, lack of coordination, drooling, excessive thirst, lack of fear of humans, and eventually death.
- Symptoms might not be visible for up to 16 months after infection.
- Treatment: It is always fatal in infected animals. There is no vaccine or treatment.
