While no one was watching: Tenuous status of CDC prion unit, risk of CWD to people worry scientists

While no one was watching: Tenuous status of CDC prion unit, risk of CWD to people worry scientists

Mary Van Beusekom, MS Today at 9:15 a.m.

Chronic Wasting Disease BSE CWD zone deer disposal site Lorie Shaull / Flickr cc

Nine months ago, Janie Johnston, 73, left her home in the Chicago suburbs to drive to her doctor's office for routine care. She made it as far as the side of the street opposite the clinic but couldn't figure out how to get there, so she returned home, where she struggled to remember the abbreviation "GPS."

That was the first sign that something was seriously wrong. Soon, the semi-retired geologist couldn't speak in full sentences or feed herself. Within 2 months, the woman who had been reviewing proposals for the National Science Foundation in the weeks leading up to symptom onset was dead of a terrifying neurological disease her family had never heard of: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

CWD may cause CJD-like disease if it infects people Rather than being genetic or acquired, Johnston's CJD developed when normal prions in her brain spontaneously began misfolding. The abnormal prions accumulated rather than being shed, triggering confusion and fatigue that doctors initially mistook for stroke, meningitis, or alcohol withdrawal. The disease usually occurs in older adults.

Seeing what my mom went through, I do not want anyone else to have to experience that, nor their family members. Kristal Enter

While no one is certain, experts think that another always-fatal prion disease—this one currently known to occur only in cervids such as deer, moose, and elk—may behave the same way if it should jump the species barrier and infect people.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been decimating cervid populations throughout North America since it was first diagnosed in a captive Colorado mule deer in 1967. While mitigation measures such as hunting may help slow its spread, it can't be stopped.

This is because cervids are ubiquitous and free ranging, the interval from infection to symptom onset can take years, and prions spread easily from animal to animal and through environmental contamination, which can persist for years.

Johnston's daughter, Kristal Enter, 39, a fundraiser in Boston, is familiar with CWD and its potential implications for human health. "Seeing what my mom went through, I do not want anyone else to have to experience that, nor their family members," she told CIDRAP News. "The more we're on top of chronic wasting disease and thinking about it, the better."

But the frightening thing is that, for well over a month during the recent US government shutdown, no one was watching the human disease landscape for CWD, a highly infectious disease with no treatment or cure.

If cases slip by, it will be too late Nine days after the government shutdown began, all four staff members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Prion and Public Health Office were sent home after receiving reduction-in-force (RIF) notices. While the end of the shutdown led all four to be reinstated through at least January, layoffs after that time are possible.

Within the past few months, two other researchers who had been part of the team also had to be let go after their fellowship contracts weren't renewed, per the administration's policy of blocking contract renewals.

The prion unit, which monitors the nation for human prion diseases, is part of the Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology. It launched in the mid-1990s in response to the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease") in UK cattle. BSE prions were inadvertently consumed by people who ate contaminated beef, causing the human form of BSE, variant CJD (vCJD). All infected people—more than 230—died.

The initial goal of the Prion and Public Health Office was to watch for any cases of vCJD in the US population. Since then, its focus has expanded to include advising hospitals on how to prevent and respond to prion contamination of instruments used in neurosurgery (prions are resistant to many usual sterilization methods), as well as working with state health departments on disease surveillance. Unit members also answer questions from the public.

Today, as CWD continues its inexorable march across the landscape, exposing more and more people, the prion unit's priority is conducting surveillance for signs of a CWD species jump into high-risk people such as hunters. Without this expertise, no one will be able to evaluate whether a suspected case of CWD prion transmission to humans is likely from an animal.

The prion unit has launched several epidemiologic studies in collaboration with multiple states to look at whether more hunters are dying of prion diseases than would be expected.

Janie Johnston Janie Johnston / Courtesy of Kristal Enter As an example of the unit's work, last spring, a cluster of CJD cases in Oregon was widely conjectured to be linked to CWD. Such cases require autopsy and an epidemiologic investigation to determine whether CWD was involved and, if so, what kind of public health measures are needed. The prion unit shared ideas and strategy with the Oregon state health department in this investigation, which, thankfully, found no link.

But experts say that without anyone looking for these deviations from normal—particularly given that signs of illness may take years to appear—cases could easily go unnoticed, and it will be too late to implement public health measures that could mitigate some of these consequences.

Lawrence Schonberger, MD, MPH, retired chief of the Prion and Public Health Office, said that, as was the situation with BSE, CWD containment efforts must continue. "Unlike with mad cow disease, however, these efforts to date have not been successful," he said. Surveillance and research "should continue to help people recognize any emerging risk to humans from this agent now and in the future, when this agent's pathogenicity [ability to cause disease] may change."

'Worst time to get rid of such a division' Brian Appleby, MD, is director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center at Case Western University, which conducts diagnostic testing for human prion diseases and conducted Johnston's autopsy. The CDC funds the center, which collaborates with the Prion and Public Health Office on public health efforts and research projects.

When you don't have a neutral party investigating these things or doing neuropathology to confirm or refute those things, you really have no idea what's going on in the public health space. Brian Appleby, MD

If the CDC prion unit were eliminated, "no one would be looking at prion disease," Appleby said. "We wouldn't be able to tell if we have an increase in cases or where they're going or coming from. And when you don't have a neutral party investigating these things or doing neuropathology to confirm or refute those things, you really have no idea what's going on in the public health space."

And with the threat of CWD, "this is probably the worst time to get rid of such a division," he added.

While there have been no stated plans to eliminate the unit, history hints that its continued existence may be in jeopardy. In fact, it was removed from President Donald Trump's budget during both of his administrations, before the House of Representatives and Senate reinstated it, Appleby said.

In the first Trump administration, report language stated that human prion surveillance is redundant because cattle are now screened for BSE, and the National Institutes of Health cover research, said Appleby, who refuted the assertions.

"Part of the reason why we are a safe export country for beef is not just the cattle surveillance for BSE, but the human surveillance for variant CJD," he said, adding that monitoring is a separate function from research. "When we were removed from the president's budget this time around, there was no report language, so we have no signal to know why."

Always 'one step behind' Debbie Yobs, president and executive director of the CJD Foundation, a patient-advocacy organization that works with Appleby's center to provide medical lectures, support groups, and other programs, emphasized the importance of sustained surveillance. "You can't have gaps in monitoring a deadly disease like prion disease," she said.

It's like combining symptoms of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease] and then speeding it all up. Debbie Yobs

CJD is devastating for patients and families, said Yobs, whose husband, Patrick, died at age 45 of the less common, genetic form of the disease. "It's like combining symptoms of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease] and then speeding it all up," she added. "There's no definitive diagnosis except through autopsy."

Indeed, Enter called her family's ordeal "unreal," because although Johnston's case was typical of a sporadic case, CJD affects only about 500 to 600 people in the United States each year, per the CDC. At the same time as the family was grieving, they were trying to learn how hospice staff could best manage Johnston's symptoms, which none of them had dealt with before.

"It becomes incumbent upon the family members to become the experts to guide the care," she said. "What they say about CJD is that every day is another new symptom or new complication to have to try to address. And you always feel like you're one step behind."

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/chronic-wasting-disease/while-no-one-was-watching-tenuous-status-cdc-prion-unit-risk-cwd-people

“While no one was watching: Tenuous status of CDC prion unit, risk of CWD to people worry scientists”

US BSE testing <25K annually…

Samples Tested by Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year v Total Samples Tested as Valid WOAH Points per Fiscal Year BSurvE Points

2024 22,848 207,808 468,946

2023 22,838 239,695 570,345

2022 21,816 360,553 842,517

2021 23,124 398,508 962,010

2020 21,441 331,561 795,183

2019 18,627 395,732 948,602

2018 21,809 540,960 1,305,585

2017 24,229 577,494 1,383,678

2016 26,564 547,959 1,314,579

2015 40,902 592,353 1,414,630

Updates on the WOAH activities in the field of TSEs

Natalie MOYEN Disease Status Officer

Status Department

May 14 th , 2024

2

Outline 1. Revised BSE standards (Terrestrial Code)

a) b) Transition process: where are we?

Official recognition of BSE risk status

i. Members/zones recognised as having a negligible or controlled BSE risk status

ii. New applications

iii. Annual reconfirmations

2. Revision of Scrapie standards (Terrestrial Code

https://www.eurl.craw.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/07_WOAH_Updates-on-the-WOAH-activities-in-the-field-of-TSEs.pdf

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

***> WAHIS, WOAH, OIE, United States of America Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Immediate notification

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5067

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2023

***> Tennessee State Veterinarian Alerts Cattle Owners to Disease Detection Mad Cow atypical L-Type BSE

https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/news/2023/5/19/state-veterinarian-alerts-cattle-owners-to-disease-detection.html

MAY 19, 2023

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2023/bse

2 weeks before the announcement of this recent mad cow case in the USA, i submitted this to the APHIS et al;

***> APPRX. 2 weeks before the recent mad cow case was confirmed in the USA, in Tennessee, atypical L-Type BSE, I submitted this to the APHIS et al;

Document APHIS-2023-0027-0001 BSE Singeltary Comment Submission May 2, 2023

''said 'burden' cost, will be a heavy burden to bear, if we fail with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Prion disease, that is why this information collection is so critical''...

https://www.regulations.gov/comment/APHIS-2023-0027-0002

https://downloads.regulations.gov/APHIS-2023-0027-0002/attachment_1.pdf

Specified Risk Materials DOCKET NUMBER Docket No. FSIS-2022-0027 Singeltary Submission Attachment

https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FSIS-2022-0027-0002

https://downloads.regulations.gov/FSIS-2022-0027-0002/attachment_1.pdf

APHIS Concurrence With OIE Risk Designation for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy [Docket No. APHIS-2018-0087] Singeltary Submission

https://www.regulations.gov/comment/APHIS-2018-0087-0002

https://downloads.regulations.gov/APHIS-2018-0087-0002/attachment_1.pdf

Docket No. FDA-2003-D-0432 (formerly 03D-0186) Use of Material from Deer and Elk in Animal Feed

PUBLIC SUBMISSION Comment from Terry Singeltary Sr.

Posted by the Food and Drug Administration on May 17, 2016

Comment Docket No. FDA-2003-D-0432 (formerly 03D-0186) Use of Material from Deer and Elk in Animal Feed Singeltary Submission

https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FDA-2003-D-0432-0011

https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FDA-2003-D-0432

JAMA. 2001;285(6):733-734. doi:10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-285-6-jlt0214

February 14, 2001

Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Terry S. Singeltary, Sr

Author Affiliations

JAMA. 2001;285(6):733-734. doi:10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-285-6-jlt0214

To the Editor: In their Research Letter, Dr Gibbons and colleagues1 reported that the annual US death rate due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has been stable since 1985. These estimates, however, are based only on reported cases, and do not include misdiagnosed or preclinical cases. It seems to me that misdiagnosis alone would drastically change these figures. An unknown number of persons with a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in fact may have CJD, although only a small number of these patients receive the postmortem examination necessary to make this diagnosis. Furthermore, only a few states have made CJD reportable. Human and animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies should be reportable nationwide and internationally.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1031186

26 MARCH 2003

RE-Monitoring the occurrence of emerging forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United States

Terry S. Singeltary, retired (medically)

I lost my mother to hvCJD (Heidenhain Variant CJD). I would like to comment on the CDC's attempts to monitor the occurrence of emerging forms of CJD. Asante, Collinge et al [1] have reported that BSE transmission to the 129-methionine genotype can lead to an alternate phenotype that is indistinguishable from type 2 PrPSc, the commonest sporadic CJD. However, CJD and all human TSEs are not reportable nationally. CJD and all human TSEs must be made reportable in every state and internationally. I hope that the CDC does not continue to expect us to still believe that the 85%+ of all CJD cases which are sporadic are all spontaneous, without route/source. We have many TSEs in the USA in both animal and man. CWD in deer/elk is spreading rapidly and CWD does transmit to mink, ferret, cattle, and squirrel monkey by intracerebral inoculation. With the known incubation periods in other TSEs, oral transmission studies of CWD may take much longer. Every victim/family of CJD/TSEs should be asked about route and source of this agent. To prolong this will only spread the agent and needlessly expose others. In light of the findings of Asante and Collinge et al, there should be drastic measures to safeguard the medical and surgical arena from sporadic CJDs and all human TSEs. I only ponder how many sporadic CJDs in the USA are type 2 PrPSc?

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/01.WNL.0000036913.87823.D6

Prion Scientific Advisors and Consultants Staff Meeting Singeltary Submission Freas Monday, January 08, 2001

Scientific Advisors and Consultants Staff 2001 Advisory Committee TSE PRION Singeltary Submission Freas Monday, January 08, 2001 3:03 PM

FDA Singeltary submission 2001

Greetings again Dr. Freas and Committee Members,

I wish to submit the following information to the Scientific Advisors and Consultants Staff 2001 Advisory Committee (short version). I understand the reason of having to shorten my submission, but only hope that you add it to a copy of the long version, for members to take and read at their pleasure, (if cost is problem, bill me, address below). So when they realize some time in the near future of the 'real' risks i speak of from human/animal TSEs and blood/surgical products. I cannot explain the 'real' risk of this in 5 or 10 minutes at some meeting, or on 2 or 3 pages, but will attempt here: fda link is dead in the water;

http://web.archive.org/web/20041212232925/http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/slides/3681s2_09.pdf

https://tseac.blogspot.com/2009/05/meeting-of-transmissible-spongiform.html

SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2023

Abandoned factory ‘undoubtedly’ contains dormant Mad Cow Disease that could threaten humans, Thruxted Mill, Queniborough CJD

https://bseinquiry.blogspot.com/2023/03/abandoned-factory-undoubtedly-contains.html

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2025

The European Union summary report on surveillance for the presence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in 2024 UK's National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit (NCJDRSU) ceased to function on March 31, 2025

https://efsaopinionbseanimalprotein.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-european-union-summary-report-on.html

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2025

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Herd Declines

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/11/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-tse-prion.html

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2025

USAHA 128th Annual Meeting October 2024 CWD, TSE, Prion Update

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/11/usaha-128th-annual-meeting-october-2024.html

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2025

Captive Cervid and the Economic Burden of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion?

The economic burden of ignoring CWD would be far greater, imo, with time, if no cervid were left, or just a select few, if the environment/property was so exposed and saturated with CWD, that you couldn’t sell it, you couldn’t grow crops because of the soil saturation of the CWD, water tables saturated with CWD, saturation of hay, grains, from crops uptake on said property, cervid meat saturated from Cervid CWD, remember, You cannot cook the TSE prion disease out of meat, In fact new data now shows that exposure to high temperatures used to cook the meat increased the availability of prions for in vitro amplification. So, what Do we do, how many humans and animals do we continue to expose, continue to saturate with the CWD TSE Prion, …

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/captive-cervid-and-economic-burden-of.html

https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/183/captive-cervid-economic-burden-prion

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Texas 2 cases CWD Confirmed at Tom Green County Facility Linked to “Ghost Deer” Investigation

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/11/texas-2-cases-cwd-confirmed-at-tom.html

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2025

US NATIONAL PRION DISEASE PATHOLOGY SURVEILLANCE CENTER CJD TSE REPORT 2025

https://prionunitusaupdate.blogspot.com/2025/10/us-national-prion-disease-pathology.html

Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Herd Declines

 Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Herd Declines

Review A review of chronic wasting disease (CWD) spread, surveillance, and control in the United States captive cervid industry 

Jameson Mori ORCID Icon.svg , Nelda Rivera, Jan Novakofski & Nohra Mateus-Pinilla Pages 54-67 | Received 20 Sep 2023, Accepted 10 Apr 2024, Published online: 22 Apr 2024

Snip… 

The impact of CWD on the captive cervid industry is not a future problem but a growing and ongoing reality. A review of economic, social, biological, and ecological problems associated with captive cervids cites examples of captive cervid herds having a CWD prevalence of 90% or higher, necessitating depopulation and decontamination procedures that are expensive, demoralizing, and potentially bankrupting [Citation16]. With the financial strain that CWD can place on the captive cervid industry, it is not surprising that a study examining the 2002 and 2007 USDA Census of Agriculture found that the number of captive cervids in a state decreased by 54% on average in states where CWD was present [Citation17] (Figure 1). This study also estimated that the amount of state income lost due to CWD-related factors was around $230 million due to the reduction in captive cervid numbers of around 28% in states with CWD [Citation17].

Figure 1. Percent change in the number of captive cervids, by state, between 2002 and 2007, with states reporting cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in 2007 indicated with diagonal lines (adapted from Anderson and Chomphosy, 2014)..jpeg Display full size 

The consequences of not controlling CWD in captive cervid herds are further made apparent by case-studies that document disease prevalences up to 100% [Citation18,Citation19]. Keane et al. (2008) calculated that the infection rate on their study farm was 20 times higher than what would be observed in wild cervids, likely due to a high number of animals being in close contact for long periods of time and exposed to the same infected animals and environments. These studies highlight what makes the issue of CWD in captive cervids unique compared to the same disease in wild cervids and serve as a reminder why disease mitigation practices need to be developed and adopted nationally.

Studies have been conducted in the United States about the epidemiology of CWD in captive cervid herds [Citation9,Citation19], herd-level factors associated with CWD-positive herd status [Citation21], genetic factors involved with CWD infection and disease progression [Citation22], best practices for managing CWD in zoos [Citation23], and the economic impacts of CWD on both wild and captive cervids and the agencies that manage them [Citation12]. Prior publications have raised concerns regarding ethics, animal welfare, public health implications associated with captive cervid facilities [Citation16], and some of these concerns relate specifically to diseases [Citation24]. Though Gerhold and Hickling (2016) did not address CWD, they highlight the translocation of cervids between farms, particularly across state lines, as a significant biosecurity risk. They also point out that a lack of consistency in regulations hampers disease management and control efforts, especially when transactions between farms involve multiple states and supervising agencies [Citation24]. Research on CWD in captive herds conducted in other countries includes work done in Canada on preventing the spread of CWD from captive facilities to local wild cervid populations [Citation25], the epidemiology of outbreaks on captive farms [Citation26,Citation27] and implementation of risk-based surveillance and control efforts in captive facilities [Citation28,Citation29].

While these works address important aspects of CWD in captive cervid herds, no review article has been published that assesses the scientific literature on how CWD moves within and between captive cervid facilities, what is being done, or what could be done, to control this disease spread and expansion in the U.S., even though the need for such information has been demonstrated. To fill this gap, this review gathered the existing peer-reviewed, primary scientific research to identify what is and is not known about the spread, surveillance, and control of CWD in captive cervid facilities in the United States.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19336896.2024.2343220

“While these works address important aspects of CWD in captive cervid herds, no review article has been published that assesses the scientific literature on how CWD moves within and between captive cervid facilities, what is being done, or what could be done, to control this disease spread and expansion in the U.S., even though the need for such information has been demonstrated.”

Here in Texas, we call it ‘Trucking CWD’.

“CWD spreads among wild populations at a relatively slow rate, limited by the natural home range and dispersed nature of wild animals.”

NOW HOLD YOUR HORSES, Chronic Wasting Disease CWD of Cervid can spread rather swiftly, traveling around 50 MPH, from the back of truck and trailer, and Here in Texas, we call it ‘Trucking CWD’…

Preventive Veterinary Medicine Volume 234, January 2025, 106385

Use of biosecurity practices to prevent chronic wasting disease in Minnesota cervid herds

Vehicles or trailers that entered the farm were used to transport other live cervids, cervid carcasses, or cervid body parts in past 3 years in 64.3 % (95 % CI 46.3–82.3) of larger elk/reindeer herds compared to 13.6 % (95 % CI 4.7–22.4) of smaller deer herds.

Snip…

Identifying the exact pathway of initial CWD transmission to cervid herds is often not possible, in part due to many potential pathways of transmission for the infection, including both direct and indirect contact with infected farmed or wild cervids (Kincheloe et al., 2021). That study identified that transmissions from infected farmed cervids may occur from direct contact with the movement of cervids from one herd to another and from indirect contact with the sharing of equipment, vehicles, clothing, reproductive equipment, and potentially through semen or embryos.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016758772400271X

“Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease and can devastate deer populations by silently spreading through direct animal contact and contaminated environments. Without close monitoring, illegal movement of captive deer increases the risk of introducing CWD to areas it is not known to exist, potentially leading to widespread outbreaks which will impact more than just the health of Texas deer.”

https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b

Texas Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Dashboard Update August 2025

SEE NEW DASHBOARD FOR CWD POSITIVES!

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8f6c27330c444a19b4b57beb7ffabb8b/page/Dashboard#data_s=id%3AdataSource_3-1966d773e34-layer-10%3A29

Texas CWD total by calendar years

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2024/12/texas-cwd-tse-prion-positive-samples-by.html

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/positive-cases/listing-cwd-cases-texas.phtml#texasCWD

Counties where CWD Exposed Deer were Released

https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/257/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites.pdf

Number of CWD Exposed Deer Released by County

https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/258/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites-NbrDeer.pdf

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Texas 2 cases CWD Confirmed at Tom Green County Facility Linked to “Ghost Deer” Investigation

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/11/texas-2-cases-cwd-confirmed-at-tom.html

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2025

Texas Game Wardens Near Conclusion of ‘Ghost Deer’ Case with 24 Suspects, 1,400 Charges Filed Statewide

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/08/texas-game-wardens-near-conclusion-of.html

https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/178/texas-game-wardens-conclusion-ghost

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

Texas CWD TSE Prion Cases Rises to 1099 Confirmed Cases To Date

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/05/texas-cwd-tse-prion-cases-rises-to-1099.html

TAHC 425th Commission Meeting CWD 1:45:00

* See CWD speakers expressing their concerns with changed regulations…

2:00 hr mark

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bWawHpdn_7I

TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION 423rd Commission Meeting CWD Update February 25, 2025

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/texas-animal-health-commission-423rd.html

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025

***> US Captive CWD Positive Herds Update April 2025

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/us-captive-cwd-positive-herds-update.html

CWD Status Captive Herds

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf

Arkansas CWD Deer Study Final 2025

4. Objective 4 and 6 - Infection rates and population modeling

a. In 2024, CWD sample prevalence was 40% across the study area, with higher rates seen in males (65%) than in females (34%).

b. Approximately 50% of males tested positive for CWD by the age of 2.5.

c. White-tailed deer abundance in the study area declined, driven by reduced lifespans and lower lifetime reproduction.

d. If survival does not increase, this population is expected to continue to decline.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jN5mtvXvz7IYFDQjv4Rasrw60dGe4KMJ/view

Louisiana House of Representative Aug 27, 9:30 AM, HCR-6 CWD

Louisiana House of Representative

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD

(A letter written from a Mississippi farmer who’s farm has been in his family for more than 100 years, and submitted it in this video presentation, 28 minute mark, another wake up call for sure, of what some have been warning for years, about CWD, but sadly will go by the wayside by the conspiracy theorists spreading fake news…terry)

Alston Ross

Marshall County, Mississippi

My family owns a 2,000 acre farm in Marshall County, which is in North Mississippi. CWD has plagued my farm since 2018 and has become progressively worse over time. We no longer have mature deer over the age of 3 years old on our property. Every buck harvested on our land has tested positive this year. The owners of our neighboring properties have continued to feed deer and ignore MDWFP regulations, which has exacerbated the spread of the disease throughout our area. This farm has been in my family for over 100 years, and due to the rapid spread of CWD, we are concerned about the future of our deer herd and the value of our hunting land…end

Snip…

Arkansas

Snip…

40:35 “…and conversely, I was co-Principle Investigator in NW Arkansas, where prevalence is approaching 50 percent.”

Snip…

41:00 “Specific to the work in Arkansas, in 2020, the state agency was showing the Prevalence at 30 percent in the Northwest part of the State, so flip a coin, so, 1 out of every 3 deer had the disease. We started that research in 2020, and now, the prevalence rate is now exceeding 40% in both sexes, and 50% in males.”

43:00 “what we’re seeing Arkansas now is, that population is declining about 11% a year.”

Snip…see full video presentation;

https://house.louisiana.gov/H_Video/VideoArchivePlayer?v=house/2025/Aug/0827_25_NR_Joint

MEMORANDUM

April 25, 2025

TO: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commissioners

FROM: Brian Dreher, Assistant Director, Terrestrial Branch

Subject: Chronic Wasting Disease Update for Parks and Wildlife Commission

Dear Commissioners,

This briefing summarizes CPW’s mandatory chronic wasting disease (CWD) findings from the 2022- 2024 hunting seasons. Results provide the first indication of whether CWD management actions taken for deer over the past 5-7 years have had an effect on CWD prevalence (estimated percent infected) in each herd. In summary, CWD prevalence decreased in 4 herds, increased in 14 herds, and remained about the same in 16 herds.

Background

Chronic wasting disease, a fatal neurological disease found in deer, elk, and moose, is well established in herds throughout much of Colorado. We have detected CWD in 42 of our 51 deer herds, 17 of 42 elk herds, and 2 of 13 moose herds. CWD prevalence is highest in deer and lowest in moose. This disease is always fatal and animals die from the disease within about 2-2.5 years of infection. CWD infection shortens the lifespan of infected animals. If infection rates become too high, CWD can affect a herd’s ability to sustain itself.

In response to increasing CWD prevalence, the Parks and Wildlife Commission approved a statewide CWD Response Plan in 2019. One element was a 15-year mandatory testing plan, which will include three 5-year rotations for deer. Pilot work in 2017 and 2018 had shown that the number of deer submitted for testing is much higher through mandatory testing than for voluntary submissions, which allows CPW to generate reliable estimates of CWD prevalence at the herd level.

In addition, the CWD Response Plan establishes a compulsory management threshold, which means when prevalence exceeds 5% in adult (>2 years) male deer then some form of management action will be taken to reduce prevalence until it falls below the 5% threshold. CPW identifies various management actions in the plan that are available to local managers to prescribe in herd management efforts, all of which have the potential to help reduce prevalence in deer herds.

CWD prevalence was assessed via mandatory testing in all deer herds from 2017-2020; mandatory testing focused on elk in 2021. In 2022, CPW restarted the 5-year testing rotation for deer. Thirty-four deer herds have been included in a second round of mandatory testing. Three herds, White River (D- 07, 2024) Middle Park (D-09, 2024), and Bears Ears (D-02, 2025) were already scheduled for a third round of mandatory testing to learn more about how prevalence is changing in these herds related to the 2022-2023 severe winter and exponential growth in CWD prevalence. CPW will conclude the second round of mandatory testing for deer in 2025 and for elk in 2026.

Mandatory Testing Results CWD prevalence estimates have decreased in 4 deer herds, increased in 14 deer herds, and remained about the same in 16 deer herds (Figure 1, Table 1).

Prevalence was expected to increase in many high-prevalence herds. However, prevalence stayed about the same between the two rounds of mandatory testing in many high- prevalence herds. This is an indication that prescribed management actions are preventing or slowing increases in CWD prevalence, even if we are not seeing a reduction in prevalence. Additional data and robust analyses are needed over the next 7 years of mandatory testing to guide CPW's interpretation of these results before we are in a position to show an association between prescribed management actions and CWD prevalence.

CPW prescribed various management actions in each of these 34 herds and the response in prevalence varies. Therefore, CPW will evaluate why prevalence increased in some herds and decreased in others. Overall, these preliminary data are encouraging for some herds and suggest harvest-based management actions could be a promising CWD control strategy.

Further Analyses

CPW will continue analyses of these CWD prevalence changes by comparing various factors between herds and the respective management actions prescribed. Comparing changes to license quotas by season, dates of harvest and prevalence estimates by season, post-hunt buck/doe ratios, abundance of bucks and does, and the percent change in buck licenses and buck harvest, etc., all in relation to changes in CWD prevalence, should improve our ability to evaluate relationships between various management actions and disease prevalence. CPW plans to complete these analyses as the 15-year mandatory testing period concludes, if not sooner.

In our more than 40-year history working with CWD, one of the most important lessons we have learned is that we rarely see immediate changes in CWD dynamics. This is a slow-moving disease and changes in prevalence (both increases and decreases) may not be readily apparent. Multiple repeated prevalence estimates over the long-term along with consistent management application will be necessary to evaluate patterns of change in relationship to management actions.

Lastly, severe winter conditions seen in Northwestern Colorado during the 2022-2023 winter generated many questions on potential implications for CWD dynamics in the region. Harsh winter conditions may cause more rapid mortality of infected deer in the clinical phase of disease and could reduce the number of infected animals on the landscape. Overall population reductions associated with harsh winter conditions may also affect deer/elk density on the landscape and reduce direct animal-to-animal transmission. On the other hand, prolonged concentrations of deer and elk on very limited winter ranges could facilitate increased contact as well as environmental accumulation of CWD prions (infectious agent) that could increase both direct and indirect transmission pathways. Preliminary, based on 2024 results, it does not appear that the severe winter of 2022-2023 resulted in reduced CWD prevalence. Ultimately, the interplay of weather conditions, changing population dynamics, and changes in habitat use associated with a severe winter limit our capacity to predict how CWD prevalence might change. As we proceed with analyses to evaluate factors influencing CWD prevalence in Colorado wildlife populations, incorporating changes associated with periodic severe winters will be an important consideration.

CC: J. Davis R. DeWalt Regional Managers M. Eckert Senior Biologists J. Runge A. Holland

https://cpw.widen.net/view/pdf/rozctppvvm/Item.11_2025-04-24_Chronic_Wasting_Disease_Update_for_PWC.pdf?u=xyuvvu

Wisconsin DNR says CWD sinking deer herds in disease-endemic areas

PATRICK DURKIN Outdoors Columnist

CWD culprits

Snip…

“We can now say it’s not EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease), it’s not coyotes, it’s not bobcats, and it’s not earn-a-buck regulations from 15 years ago that are causing the herd declines we’re seeing,” said Dan Storm, the study’s chief researcher. “CWD is the cause, and we have solid evidence to back it up. This is what’s going on, and so let’s proceed with what to do about it.” “We already did that and look how it went,” Storm said. “Before we lost earn-a-buck (in 2011), hunters dropped Iowa County’s deer herd below 20,000. After earn-a-buck, the herd took 7%, 10% and 12% annual increases until 2020. That herd should have kept growing, but it didn’t. CWD is pulling it down and boxing it in.” The DNR’s annual post-hunt population estimates show Iowa County’s herd rose 51.3% from 16,900 in 2011 to 25,566, the 2018-2020 three-year average. The herd has since fallen 15.25% to 21,666, the 2021-2023 three-year average. Bryan Richards, CWD project leader at the USDA’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, said backing off would backfire. “You won’t recover a population by letting CWD run its course,” Richards said. “When you try to stockpile deer by not shooting, you protect sick deer, too. Contamination worsens and the healthy proportion of the herd declines. Shooting removes sick deer from the herd sooner than CWD will. They’ll spread fewer prions over time, and you’ll probably shoot them before CWD reaches its worst stages for shedding prions.” Storm put it this way: “The more CWD you have in your area, the more the herd will decline.” Which areas already exceed 29% infection rates for adult does? The latest DNR data from a year ago shows southeastern Richland County on the edge at 27%, northwestern Iowa County at 35%, and the Devil’s Lake area in eastern Sauk County at 34%. Further, CWD testing of hunter-killed deer in autumn 2024 shows overall (bucks and does) detection rates at or above 29% in six townships (6-mile by 6-mile areas) in Columbia County, three townships in Dane County, eight townships in Iowa County, 11 townships in Richland County, and 15 townships in Sauk County. How low will deer populations drop where CWD is endemic? Storm said CWD won’t exterminate deer, but no one can predict how it will affect specific valleys, woodlands or watersheds. CWD has spread at varying rates in different Wisconsin habitats, and appears to have leveled off at high infection rates in some areas while still rising and spreading in others. The disease has so far been verified in wild deer in 48 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, even though testing has been totally voluntary for years. During the 2024 hunting season, 1,755 more deer tested positive for CWD across the state, a record 10.4% detection rate despite the least amount of samples (16,939) volunteered since 2017. Richland County hunters provided the most samples, 1,335, in 2024, and 444 (33.4%) had CWD.

https://www.antigojournal.com/sports/outdoors/durkin-wisconsin-dnr-says-cwd-sinking-deer-herds-in-disease-endemic-areas/article_cb73b5ca-dd9e-11ef-853c-d3fb206ddf8c.html

CWD IS RAVAGING MY FAMILY’S LAND, BUT IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU

September 9, 2025 By: Paul Annear

My first season deer hunting in Wisconsin was 2001, the same season that produced Wisconsin’s first deer to test positive for chronic wasting disease. CWD has always been at the forefront of deer hunting discussions in my time as a hunter, and I’ve watched the disease slowly spread and worsen. Since 2019, eight of 11 deer I’ve taken on my family’s property in Richland County in Southwest Wisconsin have tested positive for CWD – including the buck in the photo above.

Aside from harvesting otherwise perfectly healthy-looking deer that test positive for CWD, we are now seeing live deer walking around in the awful final stages of this disease. Research has now confirmed what I’ve seen occurring on our hunting land in the last five to six years: CWD is beginning to reduce deer populations in high-prevalence areas like mine.

It didn’t have to reach this point. Hunters in areas with low CWD prevalence can keep infection rates low and deer populations healthy overall by accepting and implementing certain strategies. Some of the strategies I will lay out will challenge you as a hunter to play the “long game,” but there are ways to slow the spread of CWD in areas where it is newly discovered and infection rates are still low.

If you’re rolling your eyes at another guy talking about CWD, I get it, but I urge you to keep reading. Hear my personal story, how it has affected my hunting experiences, and what can happen if hunters ignore CWD.

“Where Are the Deer?”

Up until about seven years ago, I was still trying to figure out this CWD thing and what I thought of it all. I hadn’t yet seen or felt the effects. I was trying to improve my hunting in a variety of different ways like everyone else.

In Iowa County, hunters killed only 916 bucks during the 2024 nine-day firearms season. The last time Iowa County recorded less than 1,000 bucks killed during the nine-day firearms season was in 1971.

We began testing every deer taken on our farm in 2019, and with 72% of them testing positive, it’s safe to say we’re in the thick of it. I’m not alone. I speak to countless hunters in Southwest Wisconsin at trade shows and other events, and many of them are saying the same thing: “What is happening? Where are the deer?”

Since 2019, eight of 11 deer taken on Paul’s family land in southwest Wisconsin tested positive for CWD. This wall of bucks includes deer taken since 2006, and six of the more recent bucks added to this wall were CWD-positive.

In Iowa County, hunters killed only 916 bucks during the 2024 nine-day firearms season. The last time Iowa County recorded less than 1,000 bucks killed during the nine-day firearms season was in 1971. Iowa County tested 694 deer during the 2024 deer season, and 25% of deer tested were positive. Richland and Sauk counties both had a 33% positive CWD rate and together tested 2,193 deer. In 2004, a few years after the initial surge of testing occurred in Wisconsin, Richland County tested 1,691 deer and no deer tested positive for CWD. So, we haven’t been finding CWD just because we’re testing more. It arrived and has spread significantly.

The first time I saw what I believed to be CWD up close and personal was in spring 2023 when my dad and I were marching up a steep ridge for an afternoon turkey hunt. Just a short distance into the walk, I spotted a buck with velvet sprouts. “Dad,” I said. “Deer.”

We both thought it was unusual this deer wasn’t bounding off since we were within 40 yards. Springtime bucks are certainly not the paranoid creatures they become in fall, though. So, we closed the distance since we were headed that way and wanted a closer look.

The buck was very clearly sick. The hair on the back of my neck stood up instantly. A better view revealed his shaking, emaciated body and drool spilling from his mouth (see the photo below). His spine, shoulder blades, and scars up and down his legs told me this deer was in the final stage of CWD but had just enough energy to escape a few predators in the days prior. I had begun to wonder why so many of my 3½-year-old bucks never returned, and this moment convinced me CWD is playing a role in bucks constantly disappearing. This buck was days away from dying of holes eaten in his brain. We were able to put him out of his misery with permission from the Wisconsin DNR.

Though CWD has been in his area for more than 20 years, it wasn’t until 2023 that Paul Annear encountered a visibly sick deer. By the time hunters are seeing sick deer in the woods, the infection rate is usually too high to do anything about it.

I travel 200 miles one way to hunt this property in Southwest Wisconsin. The disease has in a way disrupted my motivation to keep traveling here, knowing full well there is a high likelihood of any deer we kill testing positive, resulting in us throwing out the meat. If you don’t hunt in a CWD zone, your routine following a successful hunt is probably simple and relatively careless. The presence of CWD changes that real quick. Shooting a deer means we could be in for a few frustrating weeks to follow as we wait for CWD test results. I’ve wasted countless hours butchering deer only to throw out the venison.

My friend and fellow Wisconsin deer hunter Bradie Ewing follows the same recommended protocols I do regarding CWD-positive venison.

“We have made the decision that we will not eat or feed a CWD positive deer to our kids or family, so this has caused some logistical headaches,” said Bradie. “The investment of time up front in butchering a deer is significant only to later throw it away if its positive.”

In 2020, I had nearly 30 bucks on trail-camera I estimated to be 3½ years old or older. In 2024, I felt confident we had only seven or eight deer in that age class. A stark decrease. I also ran about 20 more trail cameras on this 115-acre property in 2024 than I did in 2020, so fewer photos are not playing a role in my estimation of fewer mature deer. There are simply fewer mature deer, and DNR harvest data shows it’s not because hunters killed more older bucks in recent seasons. It’s because of CWD.

Why do I keep making the drive back to Richland County? My parents have lived on this land since 1987. This is the land where I was born and raised, where I grew up exploring the woods and learning to hunt squirrels and deer. It’s where I feel I belong, and I know that strong emotional attachment will keep me coming back to hunt deer with my family every fall.

Common Sense…snip…see full text;

https://deerassociation.com/cwd-is-ravaging-my-familys-land-but-its-not-too-late-for-you/

Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study

key takeaways ;

CWD substantially reduces deer survival rates and suppresses population growth.

Where CWD prevalence is high, deer populations are likely declining. 

If CWD continues to spread, it will eventually impact deer populations elsewhere.

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/research/projects/dpp/StudyResults

MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025

Wisconsin DNR 2024 CWD 1,786 samples testing positive

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/wisconsin-dnr-2024-cwd-1786-samples.html

This CWD Study Could Change Deer Hunting FOREVER | The Check Station October 8, 2025 NW Arkansas

NW Arkansas CWD 11:25 minutes;

50% of all deer positive for CWD.

35% of Does are Positive for CWD.

68% Bucks are Positive for CWD.

Most Bucks NW Arkansas that where Tested, are Positive for CWD.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kTicUE-xsQU&t=695s&pp=2AG3BZACAQ%3D%3D

18% of mule deer in northeastern Montana have deadly chronic wasting disease “In the 2024-25 hunting FWP submitted 9,066 samples for chronic wasting disease testing – the largest number of CWD samples ever collected in a single year. More than 1,100 of these samples were collected by hunters. Of those samples, 335 tested positive for the disease, including 202 white-tailed deer, 127 mule deer and six elk.”

https://billingsgazette.com/outdoors/article_de5278b8-f2e1-11ef-b479-cf42652717a4.html

The effectiveness of harvest for limiting wildlife disease: Insights from 20 years of chronic wasting disease in Wyoming

First published: 21 January 2025

https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.3089

https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.3089

https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/new-study-finds-deer-hunting-can-help-keep-chronic-wasting-disease-check

Since identifying its first cases of CWD in captive deer in the 70s and finding the first wild infected deer in 1985, Wyoming has seen the disease slowly spread throughout the state. CWD has now been documented in members of the deer family in most of Wyoming’s deer hunting areas, with 20% to 40% percent of mule deer affected in some herds. A 2017 study estimated a 21% annual population decline as a result of the fatal disease.

https://freerangeamerican.us/chronic-wasting-disease-wyoming/#:~:text=CWD%20has%20now%20been%20documented,result%20of%20the%20fatal%20disease.

How does CWD impact deer, elk, and moose populations?

Recent research in Wyoming has demonstrated declines in both mule and white-tailed deer populations in deer hunt area 65 due to CWD (see below for citations). These declines are in the core endemic area where prevalence is highest. In areas with lower prevalence, effects of CWD are poorly understood but are considered additive along with other factors that can negatively affect deer populations in Wyoming (i.e. habitat loss, predation, other diseases). The distribution and prevalence of CWD in Wyoming elk is less than that of deer. Currently there are no documented direct population impacts in Wyoming elk from CWD; however, research from Rocky Mountain National Park suggests that CWD could impact elk populations at higher prevalence (13%). While CWD has been found in free ranging moose, there have been few detections, and there is no evidence that CWD is currently having an impact on moose populations.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Wildlife-in-Wyoming/More-Wildlife/Wildlife-Disease/Chronic-Wasting-Disease

PLoS One. 2016 Aug 30;11(8):e0161127. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161127. eCollection 2016.

Chronic Wasting Disease Drives Population Decline of White-Tailed Deer

We show that a chronic disease that becomes endemic in wildlife populations has the potential to be population-limiting and the strong population-level effects of CWD suggest affected populations are not sustainable at high disease prevalence under current harvest levels.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0161127

Friday, December 14, 2012

DEFRA U.K. What is the risk of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD being introduced into Great Britain? A Qualitative Risk Assessment October 2012

snip.....

36% in 2007 (Almberg et al., 2011). In such areas, population declines of deer of up to 30 to 50% have been observed (Almberg et al., 2011). In areas of Colorado, the prevalence can be as high as 30% (EFSA, 2011).

snip.....

The rate of transmission of CWD has been reported to be as high as 30% and can approach 100% among captive animals in endemic areas (Safar et al., 2008). snip.....

https://web.archive.org/web/20170404125557/http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130822084033/http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/files/qra_chronic-wasting-disease-121029.pdf

Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas A Real Disease with Proven Impacts

Produced by a coalition of concerned hunters, landowners, & conservationists (last update 1/2025)

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b93f528938ac48e9b56dcc79953cbec0

Aug 18, 2021

Oh, Deer

Heading Off a Wildlife Epidemic

CWD poses a significant threat to the future of hunting in Texas. Deer population declines of 45 and 50 percent have been documented in Colorado and Wyoming. A broad infection of Texas deer populations resulting in similar population impacts would inflict severe economic damage to rural communities and could negatively impact land markets. Specifically, those landowners seeking to establish a thriving herd of deer could avoid buying in areas with confirmed CWD infections. As they do with anthrax-susceptible properties, land brokers may find it advisable to inquire about the status of CWD infections on properties that they present for sale. Prospective buyers should also investigate the status of the wildlife on prospective properties. In addition, existing landowners should monitor developments as TPWD crafts management strategies to identify and contain this deadly disease.

Dr. Gilliland (c-gilliland@tamu.edu) is a research economist with the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University.

https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/articles/tierra-grande/oh-d

Texas Kimble County Farm Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Approximate Herd Prevalence 12%

SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE 407th COMMISSION MEETING Texas Animal Health Commission

September 22, 2020

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD):

A new CWD positive breeding herd was disclosed in February 2020 in Kimble County. This herd depopulation was completed in July 2020. Including the two index positive deer, an additional eight more positive deer were disclosed (approximate herd prevalence 12%). Since July 2015 and prior to this discovery, five positive captive breeder herds have been disclosed and four of those are in Medina County. One herd in Lavaca and three herds in Medina County were depopulated leaving one large herd in Medina County that is managed on a herd plan. A new zone was established in Val Verde County in December 2019 as a result of a positive free-ranging White-tailed Deer (WTD). A second positive WTD was also disclosed in February 2020 in the same area.

SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE 407th COMMISSION MEETING – 9/22/2020

Scrapie: The flock identified in April 2016 remains under quarantine in Hartley County.

https://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/meetings/minutes/SummaryMinutes_CommMtg_2020-09-22

http://web.archive.org/web/20201017124040/https://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/meetings/minutes/SummaryMinutes_CommMtg_2020-09-22.pdf

Captive CWD percentages from a few depopulated herds

For Immediate Release 

Thursday, October 2, 2014 

Dustin Vande Hoef 515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616(cell) or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov     

TEST RESULTS FROM CAPTIVE DEER HERD WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RELEASED 
79.8 percent of the deer tested positive for the disease

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship today announced that the test results from the depopulation of a quarantined captive deer herd in north-central Iowa showed that 284 of the 356 deer, or 79.8% of the herd, tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The owners of the quarantined herd have entered into a fence maintenance agreement with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, which requires the owners to maintain the 8’ foot perimeter fence around the herd premises for five years after the depopulation was complete and the premises had been cleaned and disinfected

CWD is a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease of farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, and moose. There is no known treatment or vaccine for CWD. CWD is not a disease that affects humans.

On July 18, 2012, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, IA confirmed that a male white tail deer harvested from a hunting preserve in southeast IA was positive for CWD. An investigation revealed that this animal had just been introduced into the hunting preserve from the above-referenced captive deer herd in north-central Iowa.

The captive deer herd was immediately quarantined to prevent the spread of CWD. The herd has remained in quarantine until its depopulation on August 25 to 27, 2014.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship participated in a joint operation to depopulate the infected herd with USDA Veterinary Services, which was the lead agency, and USDA Wildlife Services.

Federal indemnity funding became available in 2014. USDA APHIS appraised the captive deer herd of 376 animals at that time, which was before depopulation and testing, at $1,354,250. At that time a herd plan was developed with the owners and officials from USDA and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Once the depopulation was complete and the premises had been cleaned and disinfected, indemnity of $917,100.00 from the USDA has been or will be paid to the owners as compensation for the 356 captive deer depopulated.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship operates a voluntary CWD program for farms that sell live animals. Currently 145 Iowa farms participate in the voluntary program. The above-referenced captive deer facility left the voluntary CWD program prior to the discovery of the disease as they had stopped selling live animals. All deer harvested in a hunting preserve must be tested for CWD.

-30-

https://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2014press/press10022014.asp

http://web.archive.org/web/20141006172620/https://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2014press/press10022014.asp

Wisconsin Buckhorn Flats CWD

SUBJECT: Almond Deer Farm Update

The first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) among Wisconsin's farm-raised deer occurred in a white-tailed deer buck shot by a hunter at the property (formerly known as Buckhorn Flats) in September 2002. This situation prompted the eventual depopulation of the entire farm.

The deer, a mix of does and yearlings, were destroyed on January 17, 2006- 4 years later- by U.S. Department of Agriculture shooters under a USDA agreement with the farm owner.

Sixty of the 76 animals tested positive for CWD. The 76 deer constituted the breeding herd in the breeding facility on the farm. The property also had a hunting preserve until 2005. Four deer, two does and two fawns, the only deer remaining in the former preserve, were killed and tested as well. CWD was not detected in those animals.

The total number of deer to test positive from this farm from the initial discovery to final depopulation is 82. The nearly 80% prevalence rate discovered on Buckhorn Flats is the highest prevalence recorded in any captive cervid operation in North America.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD WISCONSIN Almond Deer

(Buckhorn Flats) Farm Update DECEMBER 2011 The CWD infection rate was nearly 80%, the highest ever in a North American captive herd. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board approves the purchase of 80 acres of land for $465,000 for the Statewide Wildlife Habitat Program in Portage County and approve the restrictions on public use of the site.

Form 1100-001 (R 2/11) NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD AGENDA ITEM SUBJECT: Information Item: Almond Deer Farm Update FOR:

DECEMBER 2011 BOARD MEETING

TUESDAY TO BE PRESENTED BY TITLE: Tami Ryan, Wildlife Health Section Chief SUMMARY:

http://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb/2011/december/12-11-2b2.pdf

http://web.archive.org/web/20140831060348/http://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb/2011/december/12-11-2b2.pdf

Colorado CWD TSE Prion

“The overall incidence of clinical CWD in white-tailed deer was 82% “

Epidemiology of Chronic Wasting Disease in Captive White-Tailed and Mule Deer

Michael W. Miller'* and Margaret A. Wildi Colorado Division of Wildlife, Wildlife Research Canter, 317 West Prospect Road, Fort Colins, Colorado 80526-2097. USA: ' Current address: National Park Service, Biologica Rosourco Mansacment Orvzion, 1201 Osk Ridae Drive. Suite 200. Fort Collina. Colorado 80525, USA: 2 Con responding author (emal: mke.miller@state.co.us)

The natural occurence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a 1993 cohort of captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) afforded the opportunity to describe epidemic dynamics in this species and to compare dynamics with those seen in contemporary 

cohorts of captive mule deer (O Hemionus) also infected with CWD. The overall incidence of clinical CWD in white-tailed deer was 82% (nine of 11) among individuals that survived 

>15 mo. Affected white-tailed deer died or were killed because of terminal CWD at age 

49-76 mo… Epidemic dynamics of CWD in captive white tailed deer were similar to dynamics in mule deer cohorts. Incidence of clinical CWD 57% (4/7) among hand-raised (HR) and 67% (4/6) among dam-raised (DR) mule deer; affected HR mule deer succumbed at 64-86 mo of age (8-72) mo;…snip…

The overall incidence of clinical CWD in white-tailed deer was 82% Species (cohort) CWD (cases/total) Incidence (%) Age at CWD death (mo) …snip… 

see full report archived here;

https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/BigGame/CWD/PDF/ResearchArticles/JWDEpiCWD.pdf

http://web.archive.org/web/20150908134715/https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/BigGame/CWD/PDF/ResearchArticles/JWDEpiCWD.pdf

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2025

USAHA 128th Annual Meeting October 2024 CWD, TSE, Prion Update

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/11/usaha-128th-annual-meeting-october-2024.html

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2025

Captive Cervid and the Economic Burden of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion?

The economic burden of ignoring CWD would be far greater, imo, with time, if no cervid were left, or just a select few, if the environment/property was so exposed and saturated with CWD, that you couldn’t sell it, you couldn’t grow crops because of the soil saturation of the CWD, water tables saturated with CWD, saturation of hay, grains, from crops uptake on said property, cervid meat saturated from Cervid CWD, remember, You cannot cook the TSE prion disease out of meat, In fact new data now shows that exposure to high temperatures used to cook the meat increased the availability of prions for in vitro amplification. So, what Do we do, how many humans and animals do we continue to expose, continue to saturate with the CWD TSE Prion, …

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/captive-cervid-and-economic-burden-of.html

https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/183/captive-cervid-economic-burden-prion

terry