“Zombie deer disease,” most commonly known as Chronic wasting disease (CWD), is a serious condition affecting free-ranging deer, elk, and moose. Its symptoms include weight loss, lack of coordination, listlessness, and drooling.
Like some deadliest diseases, most infected deer do not show signs or symptoms early. The disease can have an incubation period of over a year. As the signs develop slowly, the animal begins to look thinner and “zombie-like.” People refer to an affected deer as a “zombie deer” due to the animal’s appearance after infection.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CWD spreads through many channels. These include contact with contaminated body fluids and tissue or through the environment, including drinking water and food. As with most diseases that spread this way, animal-to-human infection is possible.
Although there are no reported cases of CWD in humans, scientists are worried that it is a “slow-moving disaster” for humans. This is because scientists believe there is a possibility of human infection in the future.
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At the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), the program co-director, Dr. Cory Anderson, spoke to The Guardian concerning this issue.
“The mad cow disease outbreak in Britain provided an example of how, overnight, things can get crazy when a spillover event happens from, say, livestock to people,” he said. Anderson also emphasized how important it is to prepare for the worst-case scenario. If the disease does spread to humans, everyone shouldn’t be caught off guard.
“We’re talking about the potential of something similar occurring. No one is saying that it’s definitely going to happen, but it’s important for people to be prepared,” he concluded. Anderson’s fears are valid as this disease does not only affect the US.
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Scientists first discovered CWD in Colorado as far back as 1967. Since then, it has spread to states all over the country. According to the CDC, at least 31 states in the US have confirmed cases of CWD.
For example, Kentucky confirmed a case of zombie deer disease earlier in December after sighting an affected deer. Furthermore, several countries have confirmed this disease over the years. Three Canadian provinces confirmed that some of their animals have this disease.
In Europe, countries like Normal, Finland, and Sweden have confirmed moose and deer affectation cases. South Korea has also confirmed a few imported cases in Asia over the past few years.
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For now, there isn’t much that scientists can do to save infected animals. They die after a while, and most people burn their carcasses to prevent further spread. Therefore, this disease is not a minor one that won’t have any major effects on humans.
The possibility of serious symptoms in humans is too high to ignore. The government and scientists must prepare for the worst possible outcome and create vaccines or drugs to help.
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