CWD Washburn County WISCONSIN AND GENETIC TESTING, what did that tell us ?
DNR:
CWD-Infected Deer Migrated from North, Not
South
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 05/08/2012
It was assumed that the northern Wisconsin deer that recently
tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease may have migrated to the region from
the southern part of the state. But new information from the Department of
Natural Resources confirms the exact opposite.
A generic test of the animal shows that the deer came from the north and not from an area where the deadly disease is currently found.
On Monday, the agency said a lymph node from the female deer came from the same genetic stock tissue taken from other northern Wisconsin deer, including the Shell Lake area of Washburn County.
Last month, the DNR announced that a three-year-old deer from Washburn County that was shot last fall had tested positive for the deadly brain disease.
DNR officials say the discovery of the disease in Washburn County in April was a setback for deer hunting and the state's unsuccessful attempts to try to control the disease.
A generic test of the animal shows that the deer came from the north and not from an area where the deadly disease is currently found.
On Monday, the agency said a lymph node from the female deer came from the same genetic stock tissue taken from other northern Wisconsin deer, including the Shell Lake area of Washburn County.
Last month, the DNR announced that a three-year-old deer from Washburn County that was shot last fall had tested positive for the deadly brain disease.
DNR officials say the discovery of the disease in Washburn County in April was a setback for deer hunting and the state's unsuccessful attempts to try to control the disease.
Review
The role of genetics in chronic wasting disease of North American cervids
Volume 6, Issue 2
April/May/June 2012
Pages 155 – 164
Keywords: cervids, chronic wasting disease, disease progression, prion disease, prion protein gene (
Authors: Stacie J. Robinson, Michael D. Samuel, Katherine I. O'Rourke and Chad J. Johnson
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a major
concern for the management of North American cervid populations. This fatal
prion disease has led to declines in populations which have high CWD prevalence
and areas with both high and low infection rates have experienced economic
losses in wildlife recreation and fears of potential spill-over into livestock
or humans. Research from human and veterinary medicine has established that the
prion protein gene (Prnp) encodes the protein responsible for
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Polymorphisms in the
Prnp gene can lead to different prion forms that moderate individual
susceptibility to and progression of TSE infection. Prnp genes have
been sequenced in a number of cervid species including those currently infected
by CWD (elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose) and those for which
susceptibility is not yet determined (caribou, fallow deer, sika deer). Over
thousands of sequences examined, the Prnp gene is remarkably conserved
within the family Cervidae; only 16 amino acid polymorphisms have been reported
within the 256 amino acid open reading frame in the third exon of the
Prnp gene. Some of these polymorphisms have been associated with lower
rates of CWD infection and slower progression of clinical CWD. Here we review
the body of research on Prnp genetics of North American cervids.
Specifically, we focus on known polymorphisms in the Prnp gene,
observed genotypic differences in CWD infection rates and clinical progression,
mechanisms for genetic TSE resistance related to both the cervid host and the
prion agent and potential for natural selection for CWD-resistance. We also
identify gaps in our knowledge that require future research.
Baiting and feeding banned in Polk, Burnett, Washburn and Barron counties as of May 10
Weekly News article published: May 8, 2012 by the
Central Office
MADISON – A ban on baiting and feeding white-tailed deer
in Barron, Burnett, Polk and Washburn counties will go into effect on May 10,
2012.
The Department of Natural Resources is taking the action,
in accordance with existing state law, due to the discovery on private land in
Washburn County of a wild white-tailed deer that tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Both state and federal veterinary laboratories
confirmed the finding. Later DNA testing confirmed that the deer is from the
area.
Barron, Burnett and Polk counties are within a 10-mile
radius of the location of the Washburn County property on which this
CWD-positive deer was found. State law requires that counties or portions of
counties within a 10-mile radius of a game farm or free-ranging CWD-positive are
included in the baiting and feeding prohibition. With the addition of these four
counties, baiting and feeding of deer is banned in 32 Wisconsin
counties.
“While we lament this news, we welcome the positive
response we’ve heard from area deer hunters,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp.
“We held an informational meeting with local citizens and nearly 200 showed up
and stayed for hours asking good questions of our wildlife, law enforcement and
wildlife health staff. In the end, my executive assistant Scott Gunderson asked
the crowd how they felt about an immediate baiting and feeding ban and it was
overwhelmingly supported.”
No changes are planned for the 2012 deer hunting season
rules in the affected counties other than the ban on baiting and feeding, said
Tom Hauge, director of the DNR Bureau of Wildlife Management. Hunters will be
asked to provide tissue samples from deer killed within a 10-mile radius of the
CWD positive doe for further surveillance testing. Samples will also be
collected from road kills and possibly taxidermists and meat processors. Details
of the sampling and testing program will be shared widely in subsequent news
releases and on the DNR website dnr.wil.gov keyword CWD, as the details are
finalized.
“Baiting and feeding of deer unnecessarily increases the
risk of spreading CWD and other diseases,” Hauge said. “Animal health is
important to preserving our great hunting tradition and is a foundation of
tourism and vital to local businesses.”
Baiting and feeding increase risks of spreading
communicable diseases, like CWD, by concentrating deer in one spot. Deer using
one spot are more at risk for spreading a disease.
Individuals can still feed birds and small mammals
provided the feeding devices are at a sufficient height or design to prevent
access by deer and the feeding device is within 50 yards of a human dwelling.
This ban does not affect the use of bait for hunting bear or training bear
dogs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Zeckmeister, DNR
northern region wildlife supervisor – 715-635-4090; Dave Zebro, DNR northern
region law enforcement leader– 715-635-4093; or Bob Manwell, DNR Office of
Communications – 608-264-9248
Last Revised: Tuesday, May 08,
2012
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Wisconsin’s Wild White-tailed
Deer
Frequently Asked Questions about the Washburn County CWD positive deer
plus additional CWD information.
May
3, 2012 (revised)
Media Spokesperson: Kurt Thiede (608) 266-5833
What is Chronic Wasting Disease?
CWD
is a nervous system disease of deer, moose, and elk. It belongs to the family of
diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion
diseases. CWD occurs only in members of the cervid or deer family, both wild and
captive. It has been found in wild and captive deer and elk in 18 states and two
Canadian provinces.
Where did the Washburn County CWD positive deer come from?
A 3
½ year old doe was showing clinical signs consistent of a sick deer and appeared
emaciated with the hair falling off. The doe was on a small parcel of private
property west of Shell Lake. It was laying down and could be walked up to and
touched. This deer was tested for CWD after being euthanized by the Sheriff’s
Office. Tests at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the National
Veterinary Services Laboratories have confirmed this deer had CWD.
Will additional wild deer be tested?
Yes, as has been done in similar situations, the department will conduct
surveillance to better assess the extent of CWD in this location. Surveillance
will be targeted to adult deer within a 10-mile radius of this positive
deer.
How
will the additional sampling be done?
The
surveillance will primarily rely upon obtaining tissue samples from
hunter-killed deer during the 2012 hunting seasons. Hunters will be able to
bring deer for disease testing to cooperating deer registration stations, meat
processors and taxidermists. The specific location of these sampling stations
will be available in mid-August. In addition, we will work with local car-killed
deer removal contractors to supplement our sample collection as well as work to
remove any sick deer reported by the public.
DNR
has already reached out to the contractor responsible for picking up car killed
deer to secure samples. In addition, the St. Croix Tribe of Chippewa Indians has
contacted the department indicating they have samples from the 2011 season
available for testing.
Has
any CWD surveillance been done in this area?
Yes, two rounds of CWD surveillance has been conducted in Washburn and
surrounding counties. The first took place in 2002 following the first
identification of CWD within Wisconsin. A second round of surveillance was
completed during 2007 and 2008. No deer tested positive for CWD or TB (bovine
tuberculosis) during these previous rounds of testing.
2
Will the deer feeding and baiting regulations change?
Yes, According to state statute the DNR is directed to prohibit the
feeding and baiting of deer in any county that is within 10 miles of any captive
or free-roaming deer that tests positive for either CWD or TB. This CWD-positive
deer is within Washburn County and is within 10 miles of Barron, Burnett and
Polk counties. We have created a GIS map that looks at a 10 mile radius from
where the deer was found & a ban on baiting and feeding will be implemented
soon, in these counties.
Will the planned deer seasons for this fall change?
No,
the deer seasons and antlerless quotas recommended for this fall will not be
changed with the discovery of this CWD+ deer.
What should I do if I observe a deer that appears sick or is acting
unusual?
Landowners and other persons within the 10-mile surveillance zone who
observe a deer that appears sick and/or is displaying unusual behavior are
encouraged to contact the department quickly. If the landowner or person is
capable, the department will provide a verbal authorization to euthanize the
deer. To contact the DNR call the info line at 1(888) WDNR INFo
(1-888-936-7463).
During the fall hunting seasons, hunters who encounter a deer that
appears sick are encouraged to harvest the deer. The hunter should attach a
valid carcass tag and transport it to one of the DNR-designated sample
collection sites. The hunter will then be issued a replacement tag. If a hunter
does not have a valid deer carcass tag, they can contact DNR for verbal
authorization to shoot the deer. At that time, the hunter will be instructed to
bring the deer to one of the collection sites to have the deer tested.
How
many deer samples would DNR like to collect?
We
would like to collect at least 500 samples from adult deer within a 10-mile
radius of the positive deer location. This number will provide a strong picture
of the extent of the disease within this area.
What happened to the carcass of the sick deer?
The
carcass had been discarded on the Beaver Brook Wildlife Area. DNR regularly
receives sick deer reports from outside the CWD zone. Whenever feasible, DNR
attempts to get tissue samples from such deer for health testing. Until this
deer, none had ever tested positive for CWD outside the CWD Management Zone. In
situations where DNR had the full deer carcass, it has been a standard practice
outside the CWD zone for local field staff to dispose of such deer carcasses on
nearby state lands to let nature take its course. On learning the Washburn
County test results, Spooner field staff returned to the Beaver Brook Wildlife
Area disposal site and cleaned up any remaining carcass remains. Staff also
secured the approximate 20 by 60 foot area with temporary fencing. DNR is
seeking advice from disease experts on any further recommended remediation of
the site. In light of this finding, DNR policies on disposing a carcass of a
sick-looking deer are being reviewed and likely will require special handling
and disposal in the future.
3
Who
else has DNR been working with on this situation?
Since this is the first positive CWD wild deer test result in the Ceded
Territory, DNR has been communicating with tribal leaders and the Great Lakes
Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). In addition, DNR has been in
communication with local community leaders, USGS National Wildlife Health
Center, Conservation Congress members, USDA Veterinary and Wildlife Services,
and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Will the deer rehabilitation regulations change?
By
administrative code, DNR can prohibit rehabilitating some wildlife species in
certain areas of the state to protect against spreading disease, to protect
public health, or to prevent harm to the environment. Current deer
rehabilitation policy prohibits rehabilitating deer within 10 miles of any CWD
or TB positive captive or free-roaming deer. Accordingly, since the Washburn
County CWD-positive deer was within 10 miles of Barron, Burnett and Polk
counties, this spring DNR will issue a deer rehabilitation ban in this
area.
The
sick deer was shot last November, why has learning the CWD test results taken
until now?
The
deer was shot on the first day of deer gun season by a Washburn County Sheriff’s
Deputy after a sick-looking deer was reported. A conservation warden immediately
took possession of the deer, affixed a metal, bar-coded tag to the ear and to
the carcass. The warden also completed a data submission form with a matching
bar code. According to protocols, the tagged head was delivered to Madison on
December 8. Unfortunately, DNR wildlife health officials were unaware that the
delivery occurred and the sample remained in a holding freezer in Madison until
March 5 when the freezer contents were collected. The deer head sample was sent
to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (WVDL) on March 9th where it tested
as a preliminary positive. Tissues from this deer were delivered to the USDA’s
National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa on March 29 for
independent lab confirmation. Both the State and National labs use the ‘gold
standard’ CWD tests. The National lab results came back to DNR the evening of
Friday, March 30. In the interests of no further delay, DNR released results on
Monday, April 2. Sample collection procedures on the front and back end of the
process were followed to the letter. DNR is implementing sample tracking
procedures to assure the communication gap is not repeated.
Will there be further tests on the CWD-positive deer?
DNR
is open to the idea of genetic testing of the deer to help determine if it was
part of the local herd, or perhaps similar to deer in Wisconsin’s CWD zone or
deer from out west in the United States where CWD is endemic. Genetic testing
may not reveal much about the deer, but any information it might yield could
help in managing the disease.
4
What is Wisconsin’s plan for dealing with CWD in our wild deer
herds?
The
Natural Resources Board approved a 15-year CWD Response Plan in 2010 outlining
the following goal: Minimize the area where CWD occurs and the number of
infected deer in the state. You can learn more about the Response Plan at
dnr.wi.gov and enter search keyword “cwd”.
Why
should people care about the disease?
As
this newest CWD-positive test result demonstrates, CWD is a statewide issue.
Projections based on current Wisconsin CWD data suggest that CWD will ultimately
reduce the number of deer available each year for hunter-harvest. A healthy deer
herd is important to our hunting heritage. Wisconsin has more than 600,000 deer
hunters who regularly harvest 300,000 to 400,000 deer annually. Deer hunting
provides more than 7 million days of recreation every year and annually
generates more than $500 million in retail sales and over $1 billion in total
impact to the state’s economy. A healthy deer herd is critical to the state's
economy.
Does CWD pose a health risk to humans?
CWD
has never been shown to cause illness in humans. For several decades CWD has
been present in wild populations of mule deer and elk in western states. During
this time there has been no known occurrence of a human contracting a prion
disease from eating venison from a CWD infected deer. Additionally, here in
Wisconsin, the incidence rate of Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD), the prion
disease in humans, is detected at the same rate as in the rest of the world,
about one in a million.
The
Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the Wisconsin
Department of Health Services recommends that people not consume meat from deer
that test CWD-positive. Some simple precautions should be taken when field
dressing deer in areas where CWD is found including:
Wear rubber gloves when field dressing your deer
Bone out the meat from your deer
Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues
Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing is completed
Avoid eating brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes of
harvested animals. (Normal field dressing coupled with boning out of a carcass
will essentially remove all of these parts)
Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from
other
animals being added to meat from your animal
How
is CWD transmitted?
Current information indicates that CWD may be transmitted both directly
through animal to animal contact and indirectly from a CWD-prion contaminated
environment. Recent studies indicate that CWD prions exist in the saliva, urine,
and feces of infected deer. Prions shed from an infected individual bind to the
soil and can persist there for long periods of time.
5
If
we let nature take its course, won’t deer become completely resistant to
CWD?
Researchers have investigated for genetic resistance to this disease
within white-tailed deer. Unfortunately, no white-tailed deer genotypes have
been identified with complete resistance to CWD. Researchers have found an
uncommon genotype that appears to allow deer to survive longer with CWD than
other genetic types, but they still eventually die from CWD. This research also
implies that deer with this genotype also have more time to expose other healthy
deer to CWD.
What should I do if I observe an orphaned fawn?
First and foremost, most fawns are not abandoned and the doe is probably
nearby. Best policy is to leave the fawn alone and contact DNR for guidance.
This is especially important as any captive wild deer from any county where deer
rehabilitation is prohibited cannot be moved out of the county and must be
humanely euthanized and tested for disease. Humane euthanasia can be performed
by department staff, the local Police Department, a wildlife rehabilitator with
an Advanced License, or a veterinarian. To contact the DNR call the customer
service line at 1(888) WDNR INFo (1-888-936-7463).
Can
CWD be transmitted to livestock?
To
date, there has been no documented occurrence of livestock contracting CWD from
free ranging deer or elk. Furthermore, in long-term studies where cattle have
been housed in pens with CWD-infected deer, transmission has not occurred. And,
even with experimental oral exposure to CWD, cattle did not develop the
disease.
In
studies where cattle were infected with CWD by direct injection into the brain,
many of the cattle developed the prion disease. These experiments show that CWD
can be transmitted to cows, but infection is highly unlikely
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A: Current Issues
Volume 74, Issue 22-24, 2011 Special Issue: Prion Research in Perspective III
Diversity and Distribution of White-Tailed Deer mtDNA Lineages in Chronic
Wasting Disease (CWD) Outbreak Areas in Southern Wisconsin, USA
Preview Buy now DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2011.618980 Kip G. Rogersa, Stacie J.
Robinsona*, Michael D. Samuelb & Daniel A. Grearc
pages 1521-1535
Available online: 01 Nov 2011 Abstract Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a
transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting North American cervids.
Because it is uniformly fatal, the disease is a major concern in the management
of white-tailed deer populations. Management programs to control CWD require
improved knowledge of deer interaction, movement, and population connectivity
that could influence disease transmission and spread. Genetic methods were
employed to evaluate connectivity among populations in the CWD management zone
of southern Wisconsin. A 576-base-pair region of the mitochondrial DNA of 359
white-tailed deer from 12 sample populations was analyzed. Fifty-eight variable
sites were detected within the sequence, defining 43 haplotypes. While most
sample populations displayed similar levels of haplotype diversity, individual
haplotypes were clustered on the landscape. Spatial clusters of different
haplotypes were apparent in distinct ecoregions surrounding CWD outbreak areas.
The spatial distribution of mtDNA haplotypes suggests that clustering of the
deer matrilineal groups and population connectivity are associated with
broad-scale geographic landscape features. These landscape characteristics may
also influence the contact rates between groups and therefore the potential
spread of CWD; this may be especially true of local disease spread between
female social groups. Our results suggest that optimal CWD management needs to
be tailored to fit gender-specific dispersal behaviors and regional differences
in deer population connectivity. This information will help wildlife managers
design surveillance and monitoring efforts based on population interactions and
potential deer movement among CWD-affected and unaffected areas.
Monday, April 02, 2012
WISCONSIN Washburn County deer test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease
(CWD)
*** Chronic Wasting Disease CWD CDC REPORT MARCH 2012 ***
WHICH CAME FIRST, THE CART OR THE HORSE $$$
PLEASE STUDY THIS MAP, COMPARE FARMED CWD TO WILD CWD...TSS
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Occurrence, Transmission, and Zoonotic Potential of Chronic Wasting Disease
CDC Volume 18, Number 3—March 2012
CWD has been identified in free-ranging cervids in 15 US states and 2
Canadian provinces and in ≈ 100 captive herds in 15 states and provinces and in
South Korea (Figure 1, panel B).
see much more here ;
Thursday, February 09, 2012
50 GAME FARMS IN USA INFECTED WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Wisconsin 16 age limit on testing dead deer Game Farm CWD Testing Protocol
Needs To Be Revised
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ON REPRODUCTION AND FAWN HARVEST VULNERABILITY IN WISCONSIN WHITE-TAILED DEER http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/04/effects-of-chronic-wasting-disease-on.html
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 approve 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.
snip...see full text and much more here ;
SNIP...SEE FULL TEXT ;
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD cervids interspecies transmission
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Risk of Prion Zoonoses
Science 27 January 2012: Vol. 335 no. 6067 pp. 411-413 DOI:
10.1126/science.1218167
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Facilitated Cross-Species Transmission of Prions in Extraneural Tissue
Science 27 January 2012: Vol. 335 no. 6067 pp. 472-475 DOI:
10.1126/science.1215659
UPDATED DATA ON 2ND CWD STRAIN
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
CWD PRION CONGRESS SEPTEMBER 8-11 2010
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wisconsin Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease, CWD, TSE, PRION REPORTING 2011
TSS
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10:44 AM
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