Chronic Wasting Disease Persists: Alabama continues to grapple with chronic wasting disease (CWD) in its wildlife, with two more confirmed cases found in white-tailed deer in northwest Alabama. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) reported two cases in northern Lauderdale County, bringing the state’s total confirmed CWD cases to five.
CWD was initially detected in Lauderdale County almost two years ago, in January 2022. Following the first confirmation, Lauderdale and Colbert counties were designated as a CWD Management Zone (CMZ). CWD causes microscopic changes in the brain of infected animals, leading to altered behavior. While animals may carry the disease for years without showing signs, later stages may include listlessness, weight loss, repetitive walking patterns, and a lack of responsiveness.
The ADCNR has collected samples from over 1,700 white-tailed deer harvested statewide, with 420 samples collected within the CMZ during this hunting season. One positive sample was submitted during a mandatory sampling weekend on Dec. 2 and 3, and the other was voluntarily submitted at a drop-off location by a hunter. The next mandatory sampling weekend in the CMZ buffer zone is scheduled for Jan. 6 and 7, 2024.
ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship expressed gratitude to hunters for providing a robust number of samples, emphasizing their crucial role in managing CWD in the state’s wildlife.
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Our Reader’s Queries
Will there ever be a cure for CWD?
Chronic Wasting Disease, like all transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, cannot be treated and is ultimately deadly. This poses a serious and undeniable risk to animal and herd health. Researchers have found that CWD can harm elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer populations.
Can you eat deer meat with CWD?
It is highly recommended to get the deer or elk tested for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) before consuming the meat. If getting it commercially processed, request individual processing to prevent mixing with meat from other animals. If the animal tests positive for CWD, refrain from consuming meat from that specific animal.
Can we stop chronic wasting disease?
To prevent chronic wasting disease, measures can be taken to reduce the number of animals in certain populations, stop feeding or baiting of deer in places with CWD, and restrict the movement of animal carcasses from areas where CWD is present.
Has CWD been found in humans?
As of now, there are no documented instances of CWD transmission to humans.