Questions About Chronic Wasting Disease
Click here for a downloadable
PDF brochure  (1MB)
containing information on CWD.
Click
here for MassWildlife advisories
on CWD relating to importation of live deer and deer carcasses.
What is Chronic Wasting
Disease (CWD)?
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a contagious neurological disease that
is fatal to deer,elk and moose (cervids). It is classified as a transmissible
spongiform encephalopathy or TSE. It attacks the brains of infected
animals, resulting in their becoming emaciated, exhibiting abnormal
behavior and eventually dying. Related animal diseases include scrapie,
which has been identified in sheep for over 200 years and "mad cow disease"
in cattle.
Where has CWD been found?
At this time CWD has been detected in wild or captive cervids
in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico,
New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, West Virginia, and
Wisconsin, and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
New areas of CWD could arise through surveillance. To obtain current
information, please contact MassWildlife. Click
here for a map of CWD in North America.
Does CWD Pose a Risk to People?
Information to date from the federal Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that people,
cattle and other livestock are resistant to transmission of CWD. There
have been no verified cases of people getting the human form of TSE
known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD or variant CJD) from exposure
to CWD, even though hunters have been taking and eating deer, elk and
moose from the infected areas of Colorado and Wyoming for more than
30 years. New cases of CJD continue to be investigated. While CWD is
not known to be present in Massachusetts and appears to pose no known
threat to human health, hunters can take some simple precautions to
minimize possible exposure to CWD and other common wildlife diseases.
What are the Signs of CWD in Deer?
Symptoms of CWD in deer include excessive drooling, excessive thirst,
frequent urination, sluggish behavior, isolation from herd, may walk
repetitive courses, grinding teeth, holding head in a lowered position,
poor body condition, ribs showing, and drooping ears. Sick deer may
be found close to water. Hunters should realize that deer are subject
to a variety of illnesses and injuries that may cause unusual behavior
or appearance. Please note that some of these symptoms can be seen in
deer after a very severe winter when deer may appear very thin and weak,
or after a deer has been struck by a vehicle. Rabies, which is rare
in deer, may also produce some symptoms similar to those associated
with CWD.
Click
here for a brochure
(pdf--1MB) with pictures
of healthy deer compared to one with CWD.
How is CWD Transmitted Among Cervids?
Current research indicates that CWD is not the result of a virus or
a bacterial agent. It appears to be caused and transmitted in some yet
unknown way via abnormal proteins called prions. These prions appear
to be infectious and while it is not known for sure, it appears that
the most likely modes of transmission are through physical contact (nose
to nose contact and decaying carcasses), environmental contact (the
area where a carcass decomposed), or through infected feed. Prions can
persist in the soil after a carcass has decomposed.Abnormal prions tend
to be most concentrated in nervous system tissue such as the brain or
in lymphatic tissue such as lymph nodes in deer. Other affected tissues
and organs can include the eyes, spinal cord, tonsils, pancreas and
spleen. Research to date indicates that prions do not accumulate in
muscle tissue and hence boned out meat appears to be safe to consume.
Why is MassWildlife Concerned About CWD?
It is MassWildlife's mission to be good stewards for all native
wildlife. We strive to keep wildlife populations healthy and in balance
with their habitat. CWD is a serious issue. If CWD is detected in Massachusetts,
it can affect the health of our wild and captive deer populations. Our
strongest desire is to prevent the disease from entering our borders.
This is why we have put strong regulations in place to prevent the disease
from entering Massachusetts.
Click
here for advisory regarding Massachusetts
Regulations on Importation of Live Deer and Deer Meat.
What is MassWildlife's Plan?
At the present time it is prudent to strive for the "most protective"
measures possible. Specific objectives for Massachusetts include 1)
disease prevention, 2) early detection and 3) disease control if CWD
is found in Massachusetts.
To accomplish these objectives, MassWildlife
has been working with the Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources,
the Northeast Deer Technical Committee and federal agencies. It is hope
that the protecive measues will minimize the risk of CWD entering the
Commonwealth by reducing the chances of a CWD-infected animal entering
the state and possibly infecting our wild or captive deer. Currently,
no live deer, of any species, may be brought into Massachusetts for
any purpose. This ban includes animals used in deer farming practices
and those used seasonally for petting zoos or holiday displays.
Also, it is illegal for anyone to import,
process or possess whole carcasses or parts of cervids (from wild or
captive herds) from states and Canadian provinces where CWD has been
detected. The only exceptions to the regulations are meat that is deboned,
cleaned skull caps, hides without the head, or a fixed taxidermy mount.
A surveillance and monitoring program
was developed and implemented to detect the disease as early as possible.
Samples of hunter-harvested and roadkill deer from around the Commonwealth
have been tested for CWD by MassWildlife biologists since the 2002 fall
hunting season. To date, there has been no evidence of CWD detected
in the samples taken during the past deer seasons. Any deer showing
symptoms of CWD will be tested as part of our targeted surveillance
program.
Advice to Hunters
There is no need for alarm as CWD has not been found in Massachusetts
and has not been shown to be transmissible to humans. However, Bay State
hunters field-dressing or butchering deer should take the same precautions
as they might to protect against other pathogens or diseases.
Deer Hunters Who Hunt in Other States or Canadian Provinces
MassWildlife suggests the following:
- Check to see if the state or province where you will be hunting
has had deer testing positive for CWD. Click
here for a map of CWD in North America.
- Check that state/province's regulations regarding the handling of
deer and deer parts.
- Comply with the new Massachusetts
regulations regarding the importation of deer meat and deer parts.
Deer Hunters Who Hunt in Massachusetts
MassWildlife suggests the following common-sense precautionary
measures:
-
Avoid shooting or handling a deer
that appears sick.
-
Wear rubber gloves when gutting or
butchering deer.
-
Never eat a deer's brain, eyeballs,
spinal cord, spleen, or lymph nodes.
-
Bone the deer (remove the meat from
the bones and spinal column).
-
Avoid cutting through bones or the
spinal column.
-
If you saw off antlers or through
a bone, or if you sever the spinal column with a knife, be sure
to disinfect those tools prior to using them for the butchering
or removal of meat.
-
Remove all fat, membranes and connective
tissue from the meat. Note that normal field dressing and
trimming of fat from meat will remove lymph nodes.
-
Use a 50/50 solution of household chlorine bleach
and water to disinfect tools and work surfaces
-
Use caution when spreading urine based scents since
it is not known if commercial deer lures and scents pose a risk
of spreading CWD.
If you hunt deer, elk or moose in other states and provinces,
particularly those in which CWD has been detected, hunters should check
with that state fish and wildlife agency to see if there is any specific
advice to hunters or special regulations. MassWildlife's regulations
are similar to other northeastern states, but not identical. Animals
lawfully killed in accordance with other states' regulations may be
brought to Massachusetts. MassWildlife regulations require, if hunting
in a state or province that has tested CWD positive, that you return
from your hunt with only boned-out meat hardened antlers with a clean
skull cap, hide without the head, or, a fixed taxidermy mount.
Advice to Landowners
Please Do Not Feed Deer! Everyone should be
aware that the artificially high deer densities associated with feeding
create the potential for increased spread and prevalence of CWD both
from infected feed and close contact among individual deer. Deer feeding
provides no benefits to deer but adds significantly to the risk that
diseases could be spread more quickly and widely.
What Sources Exist for Further Information?
The Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance has developed a web site (http://www.cwd-info.org)
which is acting as a national clearing house for the most up-to-date
and accurate information on CWD. There is an abundance of information
available on that site and it offers many links to other sites including
state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations that are
involved with CWD management or research.
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