Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

In June, a deer that was captive raised in Lavaca County Texas, tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease otherwise known as CWD. This is a very contagious and fatal disease that is affecting deer, elk, and moose. CWD replicates malformed proteins known as prions that deteriorates the brain, and breaks down nerve cells. CWD kind of resembles Mad Cow Disease and can be transferred from one organism to another by blood, urine, carcasses, saliva, and even plants or soil. Since the finding of CWD has been found in the captive deer, the state has enacted a testing regime that tests the deer that were sold and bought within these captive deer bred ranches. They are also wanting to the deer that have been hunter harvest for the CWD disease, but …show more content…
These animals are affected in many ways for example the disease will cause changes in behavior, the animal will walk repetitive course because it is confused. The animal will soon develop head tremors that could cause damage to the neck. Soon the animal’s food consumption will drop and will start to drink excessive amounts of water leading to excessive urination and excessive salvation or drooling. The overall duration period of this disease is unknown because the scientist or researchers will have no idea where or when the disease originated from. Unfortunately there is not a treatment available to help cure chronic wasting disease. And will continued to be spread. The only hope for captive bred deer is isolation. If the ranchers are able to detect which deer has this disease they can isolate it and keep the disease from spreading to other animals. Researchers recently discovered that the single protein prion, which is what causes the disease can be transported through plants. The plant are able to absorb this protein and move them to any part ultimately making the plant a carrier for chronic wasting disease. The plants get the protein from the urine, feces, and decomposing matter of deer, elk or moose that are already infected by it. This prion is also associated with mad cow disease, scrapie which effects sheep, and Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease in humans. All four disease caused by this prion slowly deteriorates the brain and allows changes to the behavior of the organism. It has been said that mad cow disease can be passed along to the humans who eat infected cow. The cow however received the disease from infected ground up sheep that was put into the cows feed. It is unknown however if humans and cows can get the chronic wasting disease from deer, it has never been reported, it is a possibly that needs to be further explored. Advisories have been issued to hunters,