How Much Worry Should You Be About Zombie Deer?
Chronic wasting disease has been reported in deer, elk and elk in 24 states, according to the CDC. The disease is not new, but its nickname is this: you can now read the sensational headlines about “zombie deer”.
What is CWD?
Chronic wasting disease is a prion disease that affects the brain and nervous system of deer. This is something like mad cow disease , known in the 1990s as mad cow disease.
The cows weren’t angry, and the deer weren’t zombies: over time, the disease causes animals to stumble, drool, and behave in unusual ways (for example, they don’t run away from predators).
In the early stages of the disease (which can last for years), symptoms may not be present. In the later stages, the deer may look emaciated – this is part of the “emaciation”.
What animals get sick and where are they?
Chronic wasting disease has been observed in many deer animals, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk /wapiti , caribou and elk.
In the United States, the disease is widespread in Wyoming and several neighboring states, with foci of CWD in other states including Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. The CDC has a list of 251 counties in 24 states where the disease has been reported.
Are zombie deer dangerous for humans?
Probably yes, if you eat them . So far, no one has caught CWD from a deer, but experts say it will definitely happen .
Prion diseases are not transmitted by microbes like a virus or bacteria, but by a strange type of protein. This protein is not broken down by cooking, and we know that in very rare cases, BSE can be transmitted from cows to humans. Research shows that CWD can be transmitted from deer to macaques.
In states where OCD is a problem, hunters are encouraged to use several security measures, often including:
- Do not eat meat from deer (or related animals) that look emaciated or show other symptoms of illness, such as disorientation or stumbling.
- Check your deer through your local hunting commission.
- Use gloves when butchering deer and avoid touching the brain or body parts other than muscle tissue. Wyoming’s recommendations for handling deer meat are here .