Experts warn that a fatal “zombie deer” disease could soon jump to humans.
A new report has found that chronic wasting disease (CWD), which is typically fatal to every animal it infects, might eventually be a concern for humans. Symptoms of this disease in deer include weight loss, behavioral changes, confusion, weakness, drooling, and neurological issues.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “CWD is a fatal neurological illness occurring in North American cervids (members of the deer family), including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. Since its discovery in 1967, CWD has spread geographically and increased in prevalence locally.”
Though the agency noted that CWD is not known to infect livestock or humans, new research suggests this might change.
“We have some limited data now suggesting that feral pigs might be infected,” said Dr Michael Osterholm, a top infectious diseases researcher at the University of Minnesota. These pigs might have contracted the disease from infected meat.
“If they can get infected, surely it’s possible domestic swine could also become infected?” Dr. Osterhold pondered. “What would that do to the swine market? What would that do to the cattle market? These are huge issues.”
Daily Mail reported that experts are warning the public of possible contamination for hunters who come into contact with infected deer.
Additionally, since the infected pigs might have caught the disease by eating infected meat, this raises concerns about our own meat consumption—especially since the proteins causing the disease only become more concentrated when cooked.
So, should we be worried about this zombie deer disease? Probably not yet—but the risk of CWD’s animal-to-human jump is certainly there.
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