Two deer in a new region of the state have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Luzerne County is where the two mature male deer were discovered. According to the game commission, one was taken from a captive facility and the other was harvested by a hunter.
The breeding farm where the captive deer came from is currently under a five-year quarantine. Transferring deer from the property is prohibited, and any deceased deer must be tested. The quarantine will be extended for a further five years in the event of any further adverse tests.
About 40 miles separated the two instances from the closest wild CWD finding. This spring, the Disease Management Area (DMA) will probably change as a result of the Luzerne County discovery. Following the April Board of Commissioners meeting, the specifics will be made public.
Deer and elk are invariably killed by Chronic Wasting Disease, a neurological condition brought on by a misfolded protein known as a prion. It is comparable to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and mad cow disease in animals.
Animals can contract CWD from one another and from polluted habitats. According to the game commission, CWD prions can remain contagious in soil for decades.
As of right now, there is no proof that CWD can infect humans or other animals in the wild. The CDC does, however, strongly advise against consuming any deer that has tested positive for CWD.
The Game Commission’s CWD Hotline can be reached at 833-463-6293, by email at [email protected], or online at www.arcg.is/1G4TLr.
The Great Outdoors