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Frequently Asked Questions About Chronic Wasting Disease
 By Dr. Terry Kreeger, Wyoming Game and Fish Department
What is CWD?
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a chronic, fatal disease of the central nervous system of captive and free-ranging mule deer, white-tailed deer, and Rocky Mountain elk. This disease belongs to the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). These disorders are thought to be caused by abnormal proteins or " prions".
What do deer and elk with CWD look like?
Affected animals show progressive loss of body condition, behavioral changes, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urinating, depression, and eventually death. Not all individual animals may show all the typical signs of CWD.
What other diseases are considered TSEs?
Besides CWD, other animal TSEs include:
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Scrapie of domestic sheep
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Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (a.k.a. BSE or "mad cow disease) of cattle and a few domestic cats and zoo ruminants in Great Britain and Europe
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Transmissible mink encephalopathy of ranched mink.
Human TSEs include:
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Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a sporadic disease found worldwide at about 1 in one million population
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New variant CJD which is probably due to the BSE agent
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Kuru, a nearly extinct disease of the Foretribe of Papau, New Guinea. TSEs tend to be species specific and most are not naturally transmissible between species due to a "species barrier".
Where is CWD found?
CWD is known to occur in free-ranging deer and elk in eight states and one Canadian province, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Utah, New Mexico and Saskatchewan. The most current list of Hunt Areas and the number of positives can be seen by linking to the CWD map on the website.
How is CWD transmitted?
The mode of transmission of CWD has not been identified. Evidence suggests that the disease can pass from animal to animal by contact or via contamination of feed, or pasture with saliva, urine, and/or feces.
Can humans get CWD?
CWD is not known to be a disease of humans. After a review of available scientific data, the World Health Organization in December of 1999 stated, "There is currently no evidence that CWD in cervidae (deer and elk) is transmitted to humans." In a more recent article (2004), Dr. Ermias Belay of the Center for Disease Control said, "The lack of evidence of a link between CWD transmission and unusual cases of CJD, [Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a human prion disease] despite several epidemiologic investigations,…suggest that the risk, if any, of transmission of CWD to humans is low." Nonetheless to avoid any risk, both organizations say parts or products from any animal that looks sick or tests positive for CWD or other TSEs should not be eaten.
Can livestock get CWD?
CWD is not known to be a disease that can be naturally transmitted to domestic livestock. Only members of the deer family are known to be susceptible. Scrapie of sheep and goats and BSE of cattle are different, though similar diseases.
What precautions should people take when handling deer and elk carcasses?
State public health officials and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department recommend taking the following simple precautions when handling deer or elk carcasses where CWD occurs.
- Wear rubber or latex gloves as a routine precaution when field dressing.
- Minimize handling of brain and spinal tissues and wash hands afterward.
- When butchering, meat should be boned out.
- Do not eat the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen or lymph nodes of harvested animals.
- Hunters should not harvest or eat wild animals that appear sick.
What is the Wyoming Game and Fish Department doing to manage CWD?
Eliminating CWD from wild deer and elk populations will be difficult given the limited understanding of its cause and transmission and the lack of an effective vaccine or treatment. The WG&F Department aims to prevent the spread of CWD by eliminating deer and elk showing signs of CWD, actively monitoring the distribution and occurrence of CWD, and participating in research to enhance understanding and management efforts of CWD.
What should you do if you see a deer or elk that looks sick?
Call the contact the local game warden, biologist, or district office. In southeast Wyoming, you can also contact the Tom Thorne/Beth Williams Research Center at Sybille. Phone (307) 322-2571.
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