Chronic Wasting Disease and Meat Processors

What is Chronic Wasting Disease?

Chronic wasting disease has been diagnosed in wild deer and elk herds in Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Nebraska. Captive deer and elk herds in Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana and Canada have also been found with infected animals. Commonly called CWD, the disease damages portions of the animals' brains. Affected animals show progressive loss of body condition, behavioral changes, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, depression and eventual death. Chronic wasting disease is always fatal. The pathogen that causes this disease had not been identified but an agent called a prion is suspected.

Where does it occur?

Confirmation of CWD in wild deer and elk has been restricted to northeastern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming, south central New Mexico, southwestern South Dakota south central Wisconsin and southwestern Nebraska. It has also been confirmed in two wild mule deer from the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. The Nebraska occurrences have been in Kimball, Cheyenne, Scotts Bluff and Sioux Counties. In the wild, CWD seems to be more prevalent in deer, however, the majority of the cases involving captive cervids have been in elk.

How often does it occur?

Chronic wasting disease is relatively rare. Sixteen cases have been confirmed from captive elk herds in Nebraska. Sixteen cases have been confirmed from captive elk herds in Nebraska. Fifteen cases have been diagnosed in free-ranging deer in Nebraska. Although the disease does not appear to be a common problem, the number of cases detected in Nebraska and elsewhere has increased in recent years. This trend may be explained in part by increased vigilance by professionals and the public in reporting cases, but it may also reflect increased disease occurrence.

How is it transmitted?

Neither the agent causing CWD nor its mode of transmission have been identified. Experimental and circumstantial evidence suggests infected deer and elk probably transmit the disease through animal-to animal contact and/or contamination of feed or water sources with saliva, urine, and/or feces. Chronic wasting disease seems more likely to occur in areas where deer or elk are crowded or where they congregate at man-made feed and water stations. Artificial feeding of deer and elk may compound the problem. In Colorado, wild deer and elk herds that have the most cases of CWD are in the Estes Valley where residents put out feeders to attract deer and elk.

Is CWD transmissible to humans?

According to experts, there's no evidence that chronic wasting disease can be naturally transmitted to humans or to animals other than deer and elk. As a general precaution, however, it is a good idea for people to avoid contact with any wild animal that appears sick.

Is it transmissible to domestic livestock?

According to experts, there is no evidence that chronic wasting disease can be naturally transmitted to domestic livestock. Chronic wasting disease is similar in some respects to two livestock diseases: scrapie affects domestic sheep and goats world-wide and has been recognized for over 200 years; bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a more recent disease of cattle in the United Kingdom and Europe (also known as "mad cow disease"). Although these diseases have some similarities, there is no evidence suggesting either scrapie or BSE are caused by contact with wild deer or elk.

What precautions should I, as a meat processor take when handling deer and elk?

The Commission recommends the following for processors who work with hunter-harvested deer and elk:

• Process deer separately at the end of the day.
• Wear rubber or latex gloves.
• Minimize handling brain or spinal tissues. Dispose of brain and spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes, bones, head and hide by sealing in plastic garbage bags and sending to a legal landfill.
• Bone out the meat from the deer. Do not cut through the spinal column. Avoid using saw if possible. If a saw is used, use one with a narrow, removable blade and discard the blade after use.
• Identify and store meat and trimmings for each deer separately. Each hunter should get the meat only from the animal he or she brought to you.
• Thoroughly clean and sanitize equipment and work areas used to process these animals before using for other processing. Use a solution of 50% chlorine bleach and 50% water.
• If you store the meat until test results are available, work with owners to dispose of meat from animals that test positive for CWD.

What should I do if I think an animal brought in for processing is diseased?

Do not handle the animal. Contact the nearest office of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission or the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. They will send someone to investigate and, if necessary, arrange for testing of the animal.

What is the Game and Parks Commission doing to manage chronic wasting disease?

The Game and Parks Commission is aggressively managing CWD in our state. To date, over 2,500 wild cervids have been tested for CWD and testing will continue each hunting season for the foreseeable future. All animals submitted from the Panhandle will be tested as will a minimum of 100 animals from each additional deer management unit. Collections will be made around any positive captive facility and/or around any wild positive animals to determine the extent of infection in the herd. We will continue to participate in regional and national task forces and meetings to learn the most current science reference CWD and to participate in research efforts to identify new testing and treatment methodologies.