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Introduction

What is=20 CWD?
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal = neurological=20 disease found in deer, elk and moose. It belongs to a family = of=20 diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies = or prion=20 diseases. The disease attacks the brains of infected deer, = elk and=20 moose, causing the animals to become emaciated, display = abnormal behavior and incoordination, and eventually = die.

CWD TESTING

Submission=20 Info

Get Test Results (from submitted=20 = samples)

Where is the Disease Found?
Chronic wasting disease occurs in = free-ranging=20 and captive cervids (members of the =E2=80=9Cdeer=E2=80=9D = family) in several places=20 in North America, including Colorado. For the most current=20 information (August 2008) on = distribution=20 and relative rates of infection by Game Management Unit in = Colorado,=20 see the following maps:

Mule=20 deer (1 MB),=20
Elk=20 (1 MB),=20
White-tailed=20 deer (1 MB), and=20
Moose=20 (1 MB)

For more detailed estimates of infection rates by Data = Analysis=20 Unit, see the most recent 2005-2007=20 Test Results Summary.

Similar=20 Diseases
Chronic wasting disease belongs to = a family=20 of diseases known as transmissible spongiform = encephalopathies or=20 prion diseases. Within this family of diseases, there are = three=20 predominant variants that affect animals: scrapie, = which has=20 been recognized in sheep for more that 200 years; bovine = spongiform=20 encephalopathy in cattle (sometimes referred to as "Mad Cow=20 Disease"); and chronic wasting disease in deer, elk and = moose.=20 Within this family of diseases, there are also two main = variants=20 that affect humans: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, which occurs=20 naturally in about one out of every one million people in = Colorado=20 and elsewhere around the world; and variant = Creutzfeldt-Jakob=20 Disease, which has been linked to the large-scale = outbreak of=20 bovine spongiform encephalopthy in cattle herds in Great = Britain.=20 Through that outbreak and the fact that the British consumed = nearly=20 750,000 infected cattle during a 10-year period, = approximately 154=20 humans have died to date after contracting variant = Creutzfeldt-Jakob=20 Disease (http://www.cjd.ed.ac.uk/).=20

Public Health=20 Issues

To date, ongoing investigations by state and federal public health = officials have shown no causal relationship between CWD and human = health=20 problems, for more information see CWD=20 and Potential Transmission to Humans.=20

However, the Colorado Department of Public Health and=20 Environment and the DOW advise hunters to take simple = precautions (as=20 listed BELOW) when handling deer, elk, or moose carcasses in = units=20 where CWD is known to occur. Hunters with concerns about = harvesting or=20 consuming an infected animal may choose to submit samples for = testing as=20 described below. If you have questions about the precautions, or = CWD and=20 public health, contact CDPHE at (303) 692-2700

Simple Precautions Advised

Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears = sick;=20 contact the Division of Wildlife in Fort Collins at (970) = 472-4300 if=20 you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.=20
Wear rubber gloves when field dressing and processing = animals.=20
Bone out the meat from your animal.=20
Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues, and wash = hands=20 and instruments thoroughly after field-dressing.=20
Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing = is=20 completed.=20
Avoid consuming brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, = pancreas=20 and lymph nodes of harvested animals. Normal field dressing, = coupled=20 with boning out a carcass, will remove most, if not all, of = these body=20 parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will remove remaining lymph = nodes.=20
Do not consume meat or organs from animals known to be = infected with=20 CWD.=20
Knives, saws and cutting table surfaces can be disinfected = by=20 soaking in a solution of 50 percent unscented household bleach = and 50=20 percent water for an hour. Afterward, allow them to air dry. =

What Portions of Deer, Elk, and Moose Should Be = Consumed?

Strong evidence suggests that abnormal proteins, called prions, = cause=20 chronic wasting disease in deer and elk. Research indicates that = the=20 prions naturally accumulate in certain parts of infected animals = -- the=20 brain, eyes, spinal cord, lymph nodes, tonsils, pancreas and = spleen-=20 relatively early in the course of disease, well before the animal = is=20 visibly ill. In later disease stages, abnormal prions also = can=20 accumulate in a wider variety of tissues and organs, including = kidney,=20 lung, heart, and muscle.

Chronic Wasting Disease=20 Testing

Hunters can find out their test results online using the Test Results database or by calling (800) = 434-0274. The=20 toll-free number is available 24 hours a day. Using the head = submission=20 number on the test form, one can activate an automated response = system.=20

For the most recent year's testing information, = including=20 guidelines, submission sites, locations and schedules, and a list = of=20 species, see Submission=20 Site Information.

Watch the new CWD Field Testing Instructions for Hunters = video! =20

Ongoing = Research

Division of Wildlife researchers and biologists are studying = chronic=20 wasting disease on numerous fronts - addressing wildlife health = issues and=20 assisting public health experts and scientists with their ongoing=20 research. Division of Wildlife personnel=E2=80=99s work and = expertise on the=20 subject is noted not only nationally, but internationally as well. =

Staff researchers and biologists conduct studies on the = disease, and=20 also collaborate and provide funding for studies conducted by = other=20 agencies and states. Employees have been involved in the following = chronic=20 wasting disease work:

The successful development of improved, more sensitive = testing=20 procedures to detect chronic wasting disease in deer, elk and = moose.=20
An ongoing field study designed to measure the relationship = between=20 deer density and disease prevalence.=20
Ongoing research to track the progression of the disease = through a=20 deer=E2=80=99s body to better understand how the disease is = transmitted and how=20 it can be better diagnosed.=20
Ongoing studies to determine if chronic wasting disease can = be=20 passed to bighorn sheep, mountain lions and other animals.=20
Specific studies to determine the ability of chronic wasting = disease=20 to infect cattle.=20
Epidemiological studies conducted by state and federal = agencies to=20 determine if a link between chronic wasting disease and human=20 neurological disorders exists.=20
Laboratory studies to assess the potential susceptibility of = different animal species, including humans, to chronic wasting = disease.=20
Ongoing monitoring studies to determine geographic = distribution and=20 level of prevalence of chronic wasting disease in the state.=20
Research into early detection methods to diagnose chronic = wasting=20 disease in live, healthy-appearing animals.=20
Studies of deer movement patterns to determine if links = between=20 disease prevalence and deer movement exist.

In addition, Division of Wildlife staff serve nationally as a = source of=20 information and resources concerning chronic wasting disease = research. To=20 access scientific publications on chronic wasting disease, see CWD=20 Research Articles.

Chronic Wasting Disease=20 Management

The Division of Wildlife=E2=80=99s disease management efforts are = focused on:=20

Preventing the spread of chronic wasting disease beyond = historically=20 infected areas.=20
Reducing chronic wasting disease prevalence within infected = areas by=20 removing deer and elk from diseased herds.=20
Enforcing illegal feeding regulations and transport laws = restricting=20 the movement of deer, elk and moose from infected areas or = into the=20 state.=20
Continuing research in conjunction with other agencies and = states to=20 further knowledge to manage affected deer, elk and = moose herds.=20

Last=20 Updated: 9/30/2008

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