Deer in America are facing a dangerous time right now. Minnesota officials issued an emergency order Monday to prevent local travel and importation from farmed deer. This was done in the hope of slowing the spread of the fatal prion disease, which is universally fatal, among wild deer. Today, Vermont wildlife officials announced that the state has the first case of a deadly deer disease, which causes severe internal bleeding. Fortunately, neither of these diseases is considered to pose a threat to human health.
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Unassuming proteins can misfold into dangerous forms of themselves, causing prion diseases. A misfolded prions can eventually become rogue when they come into contact with their normal form. This causes a buildup of bad prions, which eventually leads to the death of the brain and body. Some prion diseases can be transmitted through infected tissue, including the cannibalism and killing of brains. Others may run in families. And some others just happen randomly. All prion diseases in humans and animals are 100% fatal. However, it may take many years or even decades for symptoms to develop after exposure.
Chronic wasting disease (or CWD) is a prion condition that can affect many deer, moose and elk. The most obvious symptom of CWD is weight loss. Other symptoms include confusion, drooling and a loss of fear in humans. CWD is most commonly transmitted to deer by contact with contaminated bodily fluids. However, it can also be passed through infected food or drinking water.
Although CWD is rare in wild and farmed deer populations, many experts believe that it is a serious threat to wildlife. Once established, the disease can quickly spread to crowded populations. It can also persist for long periods in soil and water, where deer urinate or defecate. Prions are even more difficult to eradicate than other infectious germs. At the moment, there are cases in 26 states as well as Canada, parts of Europe, and Asia.
Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued an emergency order to temporarily stop importation and export of farmed whitetail deer. This decision was made after a recent report about a CWD epidemic at a Wisconsin deer farm, which sold deer to seven states this summer, including Minnesota.
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The disease is a direct, immediate, and grave threat to Minnesota's wild deer. These actions reflect the stakes, stated Sarah Stromme, Commissioner of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, in a statement released by the agency.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife in Vermont issued a deer-related alert the same day. They had just discovered the first case of epizootic haemorrhagic (EHD), among wild deer in Vermont's at least two regions.
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EHD is caused a virus (epizootic haemorrhagic virus) transmitted by midge flies. Although it is not contagious among deer and it is not as deadly as CWD, EHD can cause severe, sometimes fatal bleeding and disability. EHD has been around for some time in the U.S., mostly in South America, but it has expanded in this year's range. It is believed that 700 wild deer died in New York from EHD this year. This figure is significantly higher than previous sporadic outbreaks. Officials in Vermont believe that the New York outbreaks are responsible for some of their cases. Some cases even border Vermont. The risk of transmission is minimal because the virus spreads by midges. However, it should be over by the winter season.
EHD has not been proven to cause any harm to humans. However, eating meat from infected animals shouldn't be considered a risk. CWD is not thought to pose a risk to humans. However, some laboratory studies have shown that CWD can be transmitted to primates in the lab. However, human prion disease has not been linked to any cases of eating CWD deer or other contact with it. (Squirrels on the other hand ...)
