Chronic wasting (CWD) is a fatal infectious neurological disease in deer. This disease makes deer and elk lethargic, exhausted and makes them not afraid of humans as before. Earlier this year, according to Fox News, the bizarre disease in deer had occurred in 24 states of the United States and two provinces in Canada.
Recently, authorities began checking dead carcasses while being aware of the number of deer and deer migrating from Utah, said Peregrine Wolff, a veterinarian from the Nevada Department of Wildlife. . In addition, the government has enacted legislation quarantining the area where the dead remains of this species to prevent the spread of the disease.
CWD is not a viral or bacterial disease, but is transmitted by a toxic form of protein (Prions), a protein molecule associated with mad cow disease. Toxic protein-related disease causes serious damage to brain cells and is an incurable disease.
Nevada officials, this year, ordered a ban on bringing certain animal parts into the state, including the brain and spine - parts that contain large amounts of prions.
Although experts believe that the disease has the potential to infect humans, there have been no cases of the disease so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, several studies have shown that the CWD is "at risk for some animals such as monkeys, from eating infected corpses" and "can also be transmitted to humans".
Wolff said the disease spreads so quickly that it will persist in the environment for years. Attempts to reduce the risk of infection will not prevent the disease from continuing in Nevada: "we cannot pack Nevada in bubbles"
