Texas Agriculture Alert A WTD has been confirmed positive for CWD in Gonzales County
Texas Agriculture Alert A WTD has been confirmed positive for CWD in Gonzales County
Texas Agriculture Alert
Department Texas Parks and Wildlife
Created 10/19/2026
Action Confirmed Case
Category Reportable Wildlife Disease Disease / Pest Type
Chronic Wasting Disease
Impact Location County
Scope of Impact Partial County
Summary
A white-tailed deer has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Gonzales County. The property where this CWD positive deer was located has not previously had a CWD detection. Visit the link provided for additional information regarding CWD surveillance and management in Texas.
Additional Information
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/
https://agalert.tamu.edu/details/2/81
Texas cwd Callahan County 07/29/2026 Department Texas Parks and Wildlife Created 07/29/2026 Action Confirmed Case Category Reportable Wildlife Disease Disease / Pest Type Chronic Wasting Disease Impact Location County Scope of Impact Partial County Summary A white-tailed deer has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting
Disease (CWD) in Callahan County. The property where this CWD positive deer
was located has not previously had a CWD detection. Visit the link provided
for additional information regarding CWD surveillance and management in
Texas.
Additional Information
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/
https://agalert.tamu.edu/details/2/50
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Update July 2026
Texas CWD Update July 2026
Texas Agriculture Alert
Department Texas Parks and Wildlife
Created 06/09/2026
Disease / Pest Type Chronic Wasting Disease
Summary
A mule deer has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in El Paso County. Due to the number and distribution of CWD detections in free-ranging deer in this county, additional information regarding CWD detections will only be posted to the website linked above from this time forward.
Additional Information
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/
https://agalert.tamu.edu/details/2/6
Texas Agriculture Alert
Department
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Created 05/21/2026
Disease / Pest Type Chronic Wasting Disease
Summary
A white-tailed deer has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Cherokee County. The property where this CWD positive deer was located has not previously had a CWD detection. Visit the link provided for additional information regarding CWD surveillance and management in Texas.
Additional Information
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/
https://agalert.tamu.edu/details/2/3
Texas Agriculture Alert
Department
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Created 05/21/2026
Disease / Pest Type Chronic Wasting Disease
Summary
A white-tailed deer has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Zavala County. The property where this CWD positive deer was located has not previously had a CWD detection. Visit the link provided for additional information regarding CWD surveillance and management in Texas.
Additional Information
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/
https://agalert.tamu.edu/details/2/4
Listing of CWD Cases in Texas
Positive Number CWD Positive Confirmation Date Free Range Captive County Facility Species Sex Age
1398 8/10/26 Breeder Deer Cherokee 44 White-tailed Deer M 1
1397 8/10/26 Breeder Deer Cherokee 44 White-tailed Deer M 1
1396 8/10/26 Breeder Deer Cherokee 44 White-tailed Deer F 1
1395 8/10/26 Breeder Deer Cherokee 44 White-tailed Deer F 2
1394 7/23/26 Breeder Deer Callahan 46 White-tailed Deer F 13
1393 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer F 2.9
1392 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer M 2
1391 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer M 3.9
1390 7/2/206 Breeder Deer Zavala 45 White-tailed Deer F 2
1389 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Zavala 45 White-tailed Deer M 2.9
1388 7/15/26 Breeder Deer Gillespie 15 White-tailed Deer F 2.9
1387 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Navarro 38 White-tailed Deer F 2.9
1386 6/25/26 Breeder Deer Navarro 38 White-tailed Deer F 2.8
1385 6/24/26 Breeder Deer Navarro 38 White-tailed Deer F 5.8
1384 5/27/26 Breeder Deer Mason 42 White-tailed Deer M 1.8
1383 5/27/26 Breeder Deer Mason 42 White-tailed Deer M 3.8
1382 6/25/26 Free Range El Paso N/A Mule Deer M 3.5
1381 6/25/26 Free Range El Paso N/A Mule Deer F 3.5
1380 6/25/26 Free Range El Paso N/A Mule Deer M 2.5
1379 5/27/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer M 3.8
1378 5/12/26 Breeder Deer Gillespie 15 White-tailed Deer M 3.7
1377 4/27/26 Breeder Release Site Zavala N/A White-tailed Deer F 7.5
1376 4/27/26 Breeder Deer Gillespie 15 White-tailed Deer M 2.7
1375 4/27/26 Free Range Hartley N/A White-tailed Deer M 3.
Showing 1 to 24 of 1,398 entries
*CWD Positive Confirmation Dates marked with * are dates confirmed by Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory rather than the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/positive-cases/listing-cwd-cases-texas.phtml
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 08, 2026
Texas Detects More Breeder WTD CWD TSE Prion, 1398 Positive Cases
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/09/texas-detects-more-breeder-wtd-cwd-tse.html
SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2026
Texas Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion 1,393 Confirmed Cases To Date July 2026
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/07/texas-chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-tse.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/225/texas-cwd-prion-confirmed-date
Texas CWD TSE Prion Cases Climb To 1,377 Cases Detected to date May 19, 2026
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/05/texas-cwd-tse-prion-cases-climb-to-1377.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/218/texas-cases-detected-date-2026
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026
Annual Reminder of Chronic Wasting Disease Requirements for Exotic Susceptible Species, what if?
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/09/annual-reminder-of-chronic-wasting.html
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://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
***> TRUCKING CWD TSE PRION
“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
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
MONDAY, MAY 05, 2026
TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN FISCAL YEARS 2025 - 2029 CWD TSE Prion
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/05/texas-animal-health-commission-agency.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/216/animal-health-commission-agency-strategic
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
http://web.archive.org/web/20201017124040/https://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/meetings/minutes/SummaryMinutes_CommMtg_2020-09-22.pdf
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
ARS Research Project: Elucidating the Pathobiology and Transmission of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies 2025
snip…
Accomplishments
***> 1. 01 Determined that white-tailed deer (WTD) infected with scrapie from sheep can transmit the disease to other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. It has long been suggested that prion disease in deer (chronic wasting disease (CWD)) was caused by the prion agent from sheep. The prion disease that affects sheep, scrapie, has been recognized for hundreds of years. However, chronic wasting disease, a similar disease found in WTD, has only been recognized since the 1960s. ARS researchers in Ames, Iowa, showed that white-tailed deer sick with scrapie from sheep can infect other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. Furthermore, this work shows that CWD is difficult to differentiate from WTD infected with scrapie. WTD scrapie prions accumulate in the lymphoreticular system in a manner similar to CWD, meaning that environmental contamination may occur through feces, saliva, and other body fluids of scrapie affected WTD as has been shown for CWD. The presence of WTD infected with scrapie could confound mitigation efforts for chronic wasting disease. This information informs regulatory officials, the farmed cervid industry, and officials tasked with protecting animal health such as state Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, or Parks and Wildlife with regard to a disease similar to CWD but arising from sheep scrapie that could be present in WTD that have contact with scrapie affected sheep and/or goats.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=440677&fy=202
***> Scrapie TSE Prion, Singeltary review, October 2026
https://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2026/10/scrapie-tse-prion-singeltary-review.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/250/scrapie-prion-singeltary-review-2026
***> hay, straw, plants, vegetables, CWD TSE Prion uptake, oh my!
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Hazard identification for the risks to terrestrial animal health from the import of hay and straw, BSE, CWD, Scrapie, TSE, Prion
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw
https://defrauktseprp.blogspot.com/2026/06/hazard-identification-for-risks-to.html
***> i’m thinking Environmental Ramifications from CWD TSE Prion, property values?
***> i remember what Deep Throat said, now this was around 2001;
Some unofficial information from a source on the inside looking out -
Confidential!!!!
As early as 1992-3 there had been long studies conducted on small pastures containing scrapie infected sheep at the sheep research station associated with the Neuropathogenesis Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland. Whether these are documented...I don't know. But personal recounts both heard and recorded in a daily journal indicate that leaving the pastures free and replacing the topsoil completely at least 2 feet of thickness each year for SEVEN years....and then when very clean (proven scrapie free) sheep were placed on these small pastures.... the new sheep also broke out with scrapie and passed it to offspring. I am not sure that TSE contaminated ground could ever be free of the agent!! A very frightening revelation!!!
---end personal email---end...tss
and so it seems ;
"Additionally, we have determined that prion seeding activity is retained for at least fifteen years at a contaminated site following attempted remediation."
Detection of prions in soils contaminated by multiple routes
snip…
Results: We are able to detect prion seeding activity at multiple types of environmental hotspots, including carcass sites, contaminated captive facilities, and scrapes (i.e. urine and saliva). Differences in relative prion concentration vary depending on the nature and source of the contamination. Additionally, we have determined that prion seeding activity is retained for at least fifteen years at a contaminated site following attempted remediation.
Conclusions: Detection of prions in the environment is of the utmost importance for controlling chronic wasting disease spread. Here, we have demonstrated a viable method for detection of prions in complex environmental matrices. However, it is quite likely that this method underestimates the total infectious prion load in a contaminated sample, due to incomplete recovery of infectious prions. Further refinements are necessary for accurate quantification of prions in such samples, and to account for the intrinsic heterogeneities found in the broader environment.
=====end
Prion 2023 Abstracts
https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20250828201533/https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Syed-Zahid-Shah/publication/378314391_Meeting-book-final-version_prion_2023/links/65d44dad28b7720cecdca95f/Meeting-book-final-version-prion-2023.pdf
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY Volume 87, Issue 12
Infectious agent of sheep scrapie may persist in the environment for at least 16 years
***> Infectious agent of sheep scrapie may persist in the environment for at least 16 years
***> Nine of these recurrences occurred 14–21 years after culling, apparently as the result of environmental contamination, but outside entry could not always be absolutely excluded.
https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.82011-0
Rapid recontamination of a farm building occurs after attempted prion removal
First published: 19 January 2019 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105054
The data illustrates the difficulty in decontaminating farm buildings from scrapie, and demonstrates the likely contribution of farm dust to the recontamination of these environments to levels that are capable of causing disease. snip...
This study clearly demonstrates the difficulty in removing scrapie infectivity from the farm environment. Practical and effective prion decontamination methods are still urgently required for decontamination of scrapie infectivity from farms that have had cases of scrapie and this is particularly relevant for scrapie positive goatherds, which currently have limited genetic resistance to scrapie within commercial breeds.24 This is very likely to have parallels with control efforts for CWD in cervids.
https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1136/vr.105054
***>This is very likely to have parallels with control efforts for CWD in cervids.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30602491/
ARS Research Project: Elucidating the Pathobiology and Transmission of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies 2025
snip…
Accomplishments
***> 1. 01 Determined that white-tailed deer (WTD) infected with scrapie from sheep can transmit the disease to other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. It has long been suggested that prion disease in deer (chronic wasting disease (CWD)) was caused by the prion agent from sheep. The prion disease that affects sheep, scrapie, has been recognized for hundreds of years. However, chronic wasting disease, a similar disease found in WTD, has only been recognized since the 1960s. ARS researchers in Ames, Iowa, showed that white-tailed deer sick with scrapie from sheep can infect other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. Furthermore, this work shows that CWD is difficult to differentiate from WTD infected with scrapie. WTD scrapie prions accumulate in the lymphoreticular system in a manner similar to CWD, meaning that environmental contamination may occur through feces, saliva, and other body fluids of scrapie affected WTD as has been shown for CWD. The presence of WTD infected with scrapie could confound mitigation efforts for chronic wasting disease. This information informs regulatory officials, the farmed cervid industry, and officials tasked with protecting animal health such as state Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, or Parks and Wildlife with regard to a disease similar to CWD but arising from sheep scrapie that could be present in WTD that have contact with scrapie affected sheep and/or goats.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=440677&fy=202
***> hay, straw, plants, vegetables, CWD TSE Prion uptake, oh my!
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Hazard identification for the risks to terrestrial animal health from the import of hay and straw, BSE, CWD, Scrapie, TSE, Prion
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw
https://defrauktseprp.blogspot.com/2026/06/hazard-identification-for-risks-to.html
So, we just let CWD spread to other species?
don’t forget the pigs, outbreak of cwd in pigs in Texas and Arkansas;
Chronic wasting disease prions in cervids and wild pigs in North America Preliminary Outbreak Assessment
DEFRA 26 January 2026 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Preliminary Outbreak Assessment
Chronic wasting disease prions in cervids and wild pigs in North America 26 January 2026
Disease report
“They analysed over 300 brain and lymph node samples from 178 wild pigs living across Arkansas and Texas, USA…the researchers identified CWD prions in up to 37% of the lymph node samples and 15% of brain samples. The lowest detection rates were in the Texas samples (below 16%), matching the lower CWD prevalence in the state’s cervid population.”
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/697a3b013c71d838df6bd413/CWD_Prions_in_Cervids_and_Wild_Pigs_in_North_America.pdf
Detection of Prions in Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) from Areas with Reported Chronic Wasting Disease Cases, United State Volume 31, Number 1—January 2025
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/1/24-0401_article
***> cwd, tse, prion, cattle, pigs, sheep, primates, oh my!
***> Very low oral exposure to prions of brain or saliva origin can transmit chronic wasting disease
Nathaniel D. Denkers , Clare E. Hoover , Kristen A. Davenport, Davin M. Henderson, Erin E. McNulty, Amy V. Nalls, Candace K. Mathiason, Edward A. Hoover
Published: August 20, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237410
Abstract
The minimum infectious dose required to induce CWD infection in cervids remains unknown, as does whether peripherally shed prions and/or multiple low dose exposures are important factors in CWD transmission. With the goal of better understand CWD infection in nature, we studied oral exposures of deer to very low doses of CWD prions and also examined whether the frequency of exposure or prion source may influence infection and pathogenesis. We orally inoculated white-tailed deer with either single or multiple divided doses of prions of brain or saliva origin and monitored infection by serial longitudinal tissue biopsies spanning over two years. We report that oral exposure to as little as 300 nanograms (ng) of CWD-positive brain or to saliva containing seeding activity equivalent to 300 ng of CWD-positive brain, were sufficient to transmit CWD disease. This was true whether the inoculum was administered as a single bolus or divided as three weekly 100 ng exposures. However, when the 300 ng total dose was apportioned as 10, 30 ng doses delivered over 12 weeks, no infection occurred. While low-dose exposures to prions of brain or saliva origin prolonged the time from inoculation to first detection of infection, once infection was established, we observed no differences in disease pathogenesis. These studies suggest that the CWD minimum infectious dose approximates 100 to 300 ng CWD-positive brain (or saliva equivalent), and that CWD infection appears to conform more with a threshold than a cumulative dose dynamic.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0237410
Prion Conference 2023
***> Transmission of the chronic wasting disease agent from elk to cattle after oronasal exposure
Justin Greenlee, Jifeng Bian, Zoe Lambert, Alexis Frese, and Eric Cassmann Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA-ARS, Ames, IA, USA
Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the susceptibility of cattle to chronic wasting disease agent from elk.
Materials and Methods: Initial studies were conducted in bovinized mice using inoculum derived from elk with various genotypes at codon 132 (MM, LM, LL). Based upon attack rates, inoculum (10% w/v brain homogenate) from an LM132 elk was selected for transmission studies in cattle. At approximately 2 weeks of age, one wild type steer (EE211) and one steer with the E211K polymorphism (EK211) were fed 1 mL of brain homogenate in a quart of milk replacer while another 1 mL was instilled intranasally. The cattle were examined daily for clinical signs for the duration of the experiment. One steer is still under observation at 71 months post-inoculation (mpi).
Results: Inoculum derived from MM132 elk resulted in similar attack rates and incubation periods in mice expressing wild type or K211 bovine PRNP, 35% at 531 days post inoculation (dpi) and 27% at 448 dpi, respectively. Inoculum from LM132 elk had a slightly higher attack rates in mice: 45% (693 dpi) in wild type cattle PRNP and 33% (468) in K211 mice. Inoculum from LL132 elk resulted in the highest attack rate in wild type bovinized mice (53% at 625 dpi), but no K211 mice were affected at >700 days. At approximately 70 mpi, the EK211 genotype steer developed clinical signs suggestive of prion disease, depression, low head carriage, hypersalivation, and ataxia, and was necropsied. Enzyme immunoassay (IDEXX) was positive in brainstem (OD=4.00, but non-detect in retropharyngeal lymph nodes and palatine tonsil. Immunoreactivity was largely limited to the brainstem, midbrain, and cervical spinal cord with a pattern that was primarily glia-associated.
“Conclusions: Cattle with the E211K polymorphism are susceptible to the CWD agent after oronasal exposure of 0.2 g of infectious material.”
Strain characterization of chronic wasting disease in bovine-PrP transgenic mice
Conclusions: Altogether, these results exhibit the diversity of CWD strains present in the panel of CWD isolates and the ability of at least some CWD isolates to infect bovine species. Cattle being one of the most important farming species, this ability represents a potential threat to both animal and human health, and consequently deserves further study.
Prion 2023 Congress Organizing Committee and the NeuroPrion Association, we invite you to join us for the International Conference Prion2023 from 16-20 October 2023 in Faro, Portugal.
https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20250828201533/https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Syed-Zahid-Shah/publication/378314391_Meeting-book-final-version_prion_2023/links/65d44dad28b7720cecdca95f/Meeting-book-final-version-prion-2023.pdf
Macaque tissues to rodent models demonstrates the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease.
Samia Hannaoui1,2, Ginny Cheng1,2, Wiebke Wemheuer3, Walter Schulz-Schaeffer3, Sabine Gilch1,2, Hermann Schatzl1,2 1University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. 2Calgary Prion Research Unit, Calgary, Canada. 3Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
Snip…
***> Further passage to cervidized mice revealed transmission with a 100% attack rate.
***> Our findings demonstrate that macaques, considered the best model for the zoonotic potential of prions, were infected upon CWD challenge, including the oral one.
****> The disease manifested as atypical in macaques and initial transgenic mouse transmissions, but with infectivity present at all times, as unveiled in the bank vole model with an unusual tissue tropism.
***> Epidemiologic surveillance of prion disease among cervid hunters and people likely to have consumed venison contaminated with chronic wasting disease
=====
https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true
Transmission of Cervid Prions to Humanized Mice Demonstrates the Zoonotic Potential of CWD
Conclusions: This is the first evidence that CWD can infect humans and cause disease with a distinctive clinical presentation, signature, and tropism, which might be transmissible between humans while current diagnostic assays might fail to detect it. These findings have major implications for public health and CWD-management.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19336896.2022.2091286
you can’t cook the CWD TSE Prion out of meat, in fact, cooking enhances the CWD TSE OrP, increasing seeding activity…terry
Volume 31, Number 2—February 2025
Dispatch
Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Raw, Processed, and Cooked Elk Meat, Texas, USA
Snip…
Of note, our data show that exposure to high temperatures used to cook the meat increased the availability of prions for in vitro amplification. Considering the potential implications in food safety and public health, we believe that the findings described in this study warrant further research. Our results suggest that although the elk meat used in this study resisted different manipulations involved in subsequent consumption by humans, their zoonotic potential was limited. Nevertheless, even though no cases of CWD transmission to human have been reported, the potential for human infection is still unclear and continued monitoring for zoonotic potential is warranted.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/2/24-0906_article
Detection of chronic wasting disease prions in processed meats
Results: Our results show positive prion detection in all the samples analyzed using deer and elk substrates. Surprisingly, cooked meats displayed increased seeding activities. This data suggests that CWD-prions are available to people even after meats are processed and cooked.
Conclusions: These results suggest CWD prions are accessible to humans through meats, even after processing and cooking. Considering the fact that these samples were collected from already processed specimens, the availability of CWD prions to humans is probably underestimated.
"Our results show positive prion detection in all the samples analyzed using deer and elk substrates. Surprisingly, cooked meats displayed increased seeding activities."
Meeting-book-final-version prion 2023 Prion 2023 Congress Organizing Committee and the NeuroPrion Association, we invite you to join us for the International Conference Prion2023 from 16-20 October 2023 in Faro, Portugal.
https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20250828201533/https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Syed-Zahid-Shah/publication/378314391_Meeting-book-final-version_prion_2023/links/65d44dad28b7720cecdca95f/Meeting-book-final-version-prion-2023.pdf
DETECTION OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE PRIONS IN PROCESSED MEATS.
In this study, we analyzed different processed meats derived from a pre-clinical, CWD-positive free-ranging elk. Products tested included filets, sausages, boneless steaks, burgers, ham steaks, seasoned chili meats, and spiced meats. CWD-prion presence in these products were assessed by PMCA using deer and elk substrates. Our results show positive prion detection in all products. To confirm the resilience of CWD-prions to traditional cooking methods, we grilled and boiled the meat products and evaluated them for any remnant PMCA seeding activity. Results confirmed the presence of CWD-prions in these meat products suggesting that infectious particles may still be available to people even after cooking. Our results strongly suggest ongoing human exposure to CWD-prions and raise significant concerns of zoonotic transmission through ingestion of CWD contaminated meat products.
Transmission of prion infectivity from CWD-infected macaque tissues to rodent models demonstrates the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease.
https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true
Transmission of cervid prions to humanized mice demonstrates the zoonotic potential of CWD
Acta Neuropathol 144, 767–784 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9
Published
22 August 2022
snip…
The finding that infectious PrPSc was shed in fecal material of CWD-infected humanized mice and induced clinical disease, different tropism, and typical three banding pattern-PrPres in bank voles that is transmissible upon second passage is highly concerning for public health. The fact that this biochemical signature in bank voles resembles that of the Wisc-1 original deer isolate and is different from that of bvWisc-1, in the migration profile and the glyco-form-ratio, is valid evidence that these results are not a product of contamination in our study. If CWD in humans is found to be contagious and transmissible among humans, as it is in cervids [57], the spread of the disease within humans might become endemic.
snip…
Our results are the first evidence of a zoonotic risk of CWD when using one of the most common CWD strains, Wisc-1/CWD1 for infection. We demonstrated in a human transgenic mouse model that the species barrier for transmission of CWD to humans is not absolute. The fact that its signature was not typical raises the questions whether CWD would manifest in humans as a subclinical infection, whether it would arise through direct or indirect transmission including an intermediate host, or a silent to uncovered human-to-human transmission, and whether current detection techniques will be sufficient to unveil its presence.
snip…
Furthermore, our findings provide striking insights into how CWD might manifest in humans and the impact it may have on human health. We have used Wisc-1/CWD1, one of the most common CWD strains, notably white-tailed deer prions, which have been shown to be more prone to generate human prions in vitro [47]. This implies a high risk of exposure to this strain, e.g., through consumption or handling of infected carcasses, in contrast to rarer CWD strains, and therefore, an actual risk for human health. Fecal shedding of infectious prions, if it occurs in humans, is particularly concerning because of potential human-to-human transmission and adaptation of hCWD. Overall, our findings suggest that CWD surveillance in humans should encompass a wider spectrum of tissues/organs tested and include new criteria in the diagnosis of potential patients.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9
MONDAY, JULY 06, 2026
Cervid CWD TSE PrP Transmission to Humans, has it already happened and being masked as sporadic CJD, What if? July 2026 Review
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/07/cervid-cwd-tse-prp-transmission-to.html
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Environmental Factors Update
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/180/chronic-wasting-disease-environmental-factors
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/09/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-tse-prion.html
CWD TSE PRION CERVID ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS 2023
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375182191_CWD_TSE_PRION_CERVID_ENVIRONMENTAL_RISK_FACTORS_2023
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
Looming Crisis U. S. Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy TSE Prion, in Cattle, Cervid, Sheep, Pigs, and Humans
https://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2026/09/looming-crisis-u-s-transmissible.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/246/looming-crisis-prion-cattle-cervid
SUNDAY, AUGUST 09, 2026
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD and Population Declines of Cervid
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/08/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-and.html
CWD, So, this is what we leave our children and grandchildren?
terry
1396 8/10/26 Breeder Deer Cherokee 44 White-tailed Deer F 1
1395 8/10/26 Breeder Deer Cherokee 44 White-tailed Deer F 2
1394 7/23/26 Breeder Deer Callahan 46 White-tailed Deer F 13
1393 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer F 2.9
1392 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer M 2
1391 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer M 3.9
1390 7/2/206 Breeder Deer Zavala 45 White-tailed Deer F 2
1389 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Zavala 45 White-tailed Deer M 2.9
1388 7/15/26 Breeder Deer Gillespie 15 White-tailed Deer F 2.9
1387 7/2/26 Breeder Deer Navarro 38 White-tailed Deer F 2.9
1386 6/25/26 Breeder Deer Navarro 38 White-tailed Deer F 2.8
1385 6/24/26 Breeder Deer Navarro 38 White-tailed Deer F 5.8
1384 5/27/26 Breeder Deer Mason 42 White-tailed Deer M 1.8
1383 5/27/26 Breeder Deer Mason 42 White-tailed Deer M 3.8
1382 6/25/26 Free Range El Paso N/A Mule Deer M 3.5
1381 6/25/26 Free Range El Paso N/A Mule Deer F 3.5
1380 6/25/26 Free Range El Paso N/A Mule Deer M 2.5
1379 5/27/26 Breeder Deer Duval 37 White-tailed Deer M 3.8
1378 5/12/26 Breeder Deer Gillespie 15 White-tailed Deer M 3.7
1377 4/27/26 Breeder Release Site Zavala N/A White-tailed Deer F 7.5
1376 4/27/26 Breeder Deer Gillespie 15 White-tailed Deer M 2.7
1375 4/27/26 Free Range Hartley N/A White-tailed Deer M 3.
Showing 1 to 24 of 1,398 entries
*CWD Positive Confirmation Dates marked with * are dates confirmed by Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory rather than the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/positive-cases/listing-cwd-cases-texas.phtml
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 08, 2026
Texas Detects More Breeder WTD CWD TSE Prion, 1398 Positive Cases
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/09/texas-detects-more-breeder-wtd-cwd-tse.html
SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2026
Texas Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion 1,393 Confirmed Cases To Date July 2026
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/07/texas-chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-tse.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/225/texas-cwd-prion-confirmed-date
Texas CWD TSE Prion Cases Climb To 1,377 Cases Detected to date May 19, 2026
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/05/texas-cwd-tse-prion-cases-climb-to-1377.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/218/texas-cases-detected-date-2026
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026
Annual Reminder of Chronic Wasting Disease Requirements for Exotic Susceptible Species, what if?
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/09/annual-reminder-of-chronic-wasting.html
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://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
***> TRUCKING CWD TSE PRION
“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
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
MONDAY, MAY 05, 2026
TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN FISCAL YEARS 2025 - 2029 CWD TSE Prion
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/05/texas-animal-health-commission-agency.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/216/animal-health-commission-agency-strategic
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
http://web.archive.org/web/20201017124040/https://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/meetings/minutes/SummaryMinutes_CommMtg_2020-09-22.pdf
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
ARS Research Project: Elucidating the Pathobiology and Transmission of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies 2025
snip…
Accomplishments
***> 1. 01 Determined that white-tailed deer (WTD) infected with scrapie from sheep can transmit the disease to other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. It has long been suggested that prion disease in deer (chronic wasting disease (CWD)) was caused by the prion agent from sheep. The prion disease that affects sheep, scrapie, has been recognized for hundreds of years. However, chronic wasting disease, a similar disease found in WTD, has only been recognized since the 1960s. ARS researchers in Ames, Iowa, showed that white-tailed deer sick with scrapie from sheep can infect other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. Furthermore, this work shows that CWD is difficult to differentiate from WTD infected with scrapie. WTD scrapie prions accumulate in the lymphoreticular system in a manner similar to CWD, meaning that environmental contamination may occur through feces, saliva, and other body fluids of scrapie affected WTD as has been shown for CWD. The presence of WTD infected with scrapie could confound mitigation efforts for chronic wasting disease. This information informs regulatory officials, the farmed cervid industry, and officials tasked with protecting animal health such as state Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, or Parks and Wildlife with regard to a disease similar to CWD but arising from sheep scrapie that could be present in WTD that have contact with scrapie affected sheep and/or goats.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=440677&fy=202
***> Scrapie TSE Prion, Singeltary review, October 2026
https://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2026/10/scrapie-tse-prion-singeltary-review.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/250/scrapie-prion-singeltary-review-2026
***> hay, straw, plants, vegetables, CWD TSE Prion uptake, oh my!
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Hazard identification for the risks to terrestrial animal health from the import of hay and straw, BSE, CWD, Scrapie, TSE, Prion
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw
https://defrauktseprp.blogspot.com/2026/06/hazard-identification-for-risks-to.html
***> i’m thinking Environmental Ramifications from CWD TSE Prion, property values?
***> i remember what Deep Throat said, now this was around 2001;
Some unofficial information from a source on the inside looking out -
Confidential!!!!
As early as 1992-3 there had been long studies conducted on small pastures containing scrapie infected sheep at the sheep research station associated with the Neuropathogenesis Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland. Whether these are documented...I don't know. But personal recounts both heard and recorded in a daily journal indicate that leaving the pastures free and replacing the topsoil completely at least 2 feet of thickness each year for SEVEN years....and then when very clean (proven scrapie free) sheep were placed on these small pastures.... the new sheep also broke out with scrapie and passed it to offspring. I am not sure that TSE contaminated ground could ever be free of the agent!! A very frightening revelation!!!
---end personal email---end...tss
and so it seems ;
"Additionally, we have determined that prion seeding activity is retained for at least fifteen years at a contaminated site following attempted remediation."
Detection of prions in soils contaminated by multiple routes
snip…
Results: We are able to detect prion seeding activity at multiple types of environmental hotspots, including carcass sites, contaminated captive facilities, and scrapes (i.e. urine and saliva). Differences in relative prion concentration vary depending on the nature and source of the contamination. Additionally, we have determined that prion seeding activity is retained for at least fifteen years at a contaminated site following attempted remediation.
Conclusions: Detection of prions in the environment is of the utmost importance for controlling chronic wasting disease spread. Here, we have demonstrated a viable method for detection of prions in complex environmental matrices. However, it is quite likely that this method underestimates the total infectious prion load in a contaminated sample, due to incomplete recovery of infectious prions. Further refinements are necessary for accurate quantification of prions in such samples, and to account for the intrinsic heterogeneities found in the broader environment.
=====end
Prion 2023 Abstracts
https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20250828201533/https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Syed-Zahid-Shah/publication/378314391_Meeting-book-final-version_prion_2023/links/65d44dad28b7720cecdca95f/Meeting-book-final-version-prion-2023.pdf
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY Volume 87, Issue 12
Infectious agent of sheep scrapie may persist in the environment for at least 16 years
***> Infectious agent of sheep scrapie may persist in the environment for at least 16 years
***> Nine of these recurrences occurred 14–21 years after culling, apparently as the result of environmental contamination, but outside entry could not always be absolutely excluded.
https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.82011-0
Rapid recontamination of a farm building occurs after attempted prion removal
First published: 19 January 2019 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105054
The data illustrates the difficulty in decontaminating farm buildings from scrapie, and demonstrates the likely contribution of farm dust to the recontamination of these environments to levels that are capable of causing disease. snip...
This study clearly demonstrates the difficulty in removing scrapie infectivity from the farm environment. Practical and effective prion decontamination methods are still urgently required for decontamination of scrapie infectivity from farms that have had cases of scrapie and this is particularly relevant for scrapie positive goatherds, which currently have limited genetic resistance to scrapie within commercial breeds.24 This is very likely to have parallels with control efforts for CWD in cervids.
https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1136/vr.105054
***>This is very likely to have parallels with control efforts for CWD in cervids.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30602491/
ARS Research Project: Elucidating the Pathobiology and Transmission of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies 2025
snip…
Accomplishments
***> 1. 01 Determined that white-tailed deer (WTD) infected with scrapie from sheep can transmit the disease to other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. It has long been suggested that prion disease in deer (chronic wasting disease (CWD)) was caused by the prion agent from sheep. The prion disease that affects sheep, scrapie, has been recognized for hundreds of years. However, chronic wasting disease, a similar disease found in WTD, has only been recognized since the 1960s. ARS researchers in Ames, Iowa, showed that white-tailed deer sick with scrapie from sheep can infect other deer under conditions mimicking natural exposure. Furthermore, this work shows that CWD is difficult to differentiate from WTD infected with scrapie. WTD scrapie prions accumulate in the lymphoreticular system in a manner similar to CWD, meaning that environmental contamination may occur through feces, saliva, and other body fluids of scrapie affected WTD as has been shown for CWD. The presence of WTD infected with scrapie could confound mitigation efforts for chronic wasting disease. This information informs regulatory officials, the farmed cervid industry, and officials tasked with protecting animal health such as state Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, or Parks and Wildlife with regard to a disease similar to CWD but arising from sheep scrapie that could be present in WTD that have contact with scrapie affected sheep and/or goats.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=440677&fy=202
***> hay, straw, plants, vegetables, CWD TSE Prion uptake, oh my!
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Hazard identification for the risks to terrestrial animal health from the import of hay and straw, BSE, CWD, Scrapie, TSE, Prion
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw/hazard-identification-for-the-risks-to-terrestrial-animal-health-from-the-import-of-hay-and-straw
https://defrauktseprp.blogspot.com/2026/06/hazard-identification-for-risks-to.html
So, we just let CWD spread to other species?
don’t forget the pigs, outbreak of cwd in pigs in Texas and Arkansas;
Chronic wasting disease prions in cervids and wild pigs in North America Preliminary Outbreak Assessment
DEFRA 26 January 2026 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Preliminary Outbreak Assessment
Chronic wasting disease prions in cervids and wild pigs in North America 26 January 2026
Disease report
“They analysed over 300 brain and lymph node samples from 178 wild pigs living across Arkansas and Texas, USA…the researchers identified CWD prions in up to 37% of the lymph node samples and 15% of brain samples. The lowest detection rates were in the Texas samples (below 16%), matching the lower CWD prevalence in the state’s cervid population.”
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/697a3b013c71d838df6bd413/CWD_Prions_in_Cervids_and_Wild_Pigs_in_North_America.pdf
Detection of Prions in Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) from Areas with Reported Chronic Wasting Disease Cases, United State Volume 31, Number 1—January 2025
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/1/24-0401_article
***> cwd, tse, prion, cattle, pigs, sheep, primates, oh my!
***> Very low oral exposure to prions of brain or saliva origin can transmit chronic wasting disease
Nathaniel D. Denkers , Clare E. Hoover , Kristen A. Davenport, Davin M. Henderson, Erin E. McNulty, Amy V. Nalls, Candace K. Mathiason, Edward A. Hoover
Published: August 20, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237410
Abstract
The minimum infectious dose required to induce CWD infection in cervids remains unknown, as does whether peripherally shed prions and/or multiple low dose exposures are important factors in CWD transmission. With the goal of better understand CWD infection in nature, we studied oral exposures of deer to very low doses of CWD prions and also examined whether the frequency of exposure or prion source may influence infection and pathogenesis. We orally inoculated white-tailed deer with either single or multiple divided doses of prions of brain or saliva origin and monitored infection by serial longitudinal tissue biopsies spanning over two years. We report that oral exposure to as little as 300 nanograms (ng) of CWD-positive brain or to saliva containing seeding activity equivalent to 300 ng of CWD-positive brain, were sufficient to transmit CWD disease. This was true whether the inoculum was administered as a single bolus or divided as three weekly 100 ng exposures. However, when the 300 ng total dose was apportioned as 10, 30 ng doses delivered over 12 weeks, no infection occurred. While low-dose exposures to prions of brain or saliva origin prolonged the time from inoculation to first detection of infection, once infection was established, we observed no differences in disease pathogenesis. These studies suggest that the CWD minimum infectious dose approximates 100 to 300 ng CWD-positive brain (or saliva equivalent), and that CWD infection appears to conform more with a threshold than a cumulative dose dynamic.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0237410
Prion Conference 2023
***> Transmission of the chronic wasting disease agent from elk to cattle after oronasal exposure
Justin Greenlee, Jifeng Bian, Zoe Lambert, Alexis Frese, and Eric Cassmann Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA-ARS, Ames, IA, USA
Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the susceptibility of cattle to chronic wasting disease agent from elk.
Materials and Methods: Initial studies were conducted in bovinized mice using inoculum derived from elk with various genotypes at codon 132 (MM, LM, LL). Based upon attack rates, inoculum (10% w/v brain homogenate) from an LM132 elk was selected for transmission studies in cattle. At approximately 2 weeks of age, one wild type steer (EE211) and one steer with the E211K polymorphism (EK211) were fed 1 mL of brain homogenate in a quart of milk replacer while another 1 mL was instilled intranasally. The cattle were examined daily for clinical signs for the duration of the experiment. One steer is still under observation at 71 months post-inoculation (mpi).
Results: Inoculum derived from MM132 elk resulted in similar attack rates and incubation periods in mice expressing wild type or K211 bovine PRNP, 35% at 531 days post inoculation (dpi) and 27% at 448 dpi, respectively. Inoculum from LM132 elk had a slightly higher attack rates in mice: 45% (693 dpi) in wild type cattle PRNP and 33% (468) in K211 mice. Inoculum from LL132 elk resulted in the highest attack rate in wild type bovinized mice (53% at 625 dpi), but no K211 mice were affected at >700 days. At approximately 70 mpi, the EK211 genotype steer developed clinical signs suggestive of prion disease, depression, low head carriage, hypersalivation, and ataxia, and was necropsied. Enzyme immunoassay (IDEXX) was positive in brainstem (OD=4.00, but non-detect in retropharyngeal lymph nodes and palatine tonsil. Immunoreactivity was largely limited to the brainstem, midbrain, and cervical spinal cord with a pattern that was primarily glia-associated.
“Conclusions: Cattle with the E211K polymorphism are susceptible to the CWD agent after oronasal exposure of 0.2 g of infectious material.”
Strain characterization of chronic wasting disease in bovine-PrP transgenic mice
Conclusions: Altogether, these results exhibit the diversity of CWD strains present in the panel of CWD isolates and the ability of at least some CWD isolates to infect bovine species. Cattle being one of the most important farming species, this ability represents a potential threat to both animal and human health, and consequently deserves further study.
Prion 2023 Congress Organizing Committee and the NeuroPrion Association, we invite you to join us for the International Conference Prion2023 from 16-20 October 2023 in Faro, Portugal.
https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20250828201533/https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Syed-Zahid-Shah/publication/378314391_Meeting-book-final-version_prion_2023/links/65d44dad28b7720cecdca95f/Meeting-book-final-version-prion-2023.pdf
Macaque tissues to rodent models demonstrates the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease.
Samia Hannaoui1,2, Ginny Cheng1,2, Wiebke Wemheuer3, Walter Schulz-Schaeffer3, Sabine Gilch1,2, Hermann Schatzl1,2 1University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. 2Calgary Prion Research Unit, Calgary, Canada. 3Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
Snip…
***> Further passage to cervidized mice revealed transmission with a 100% attack rate.
***> Our findings demonstrate that macaques, considered the best model for the zoonotic potential of prions, were infected upon CWD challenge, including the oral one.
****> The disease manifested as atypical in macaques and initial transgenic mouse transmissions, but with infectivity present at all times, as unveiled in the bank vole model with an unusual tissue tropism.
***> Epidemiologic surveillance of prion disease among cervid hunters and people likely to have consumed venison contaminated with chronic wasting disease
=====
https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true
Transmission of Cervid Prions to Humanized Mice Demonstrates the Zoonotic Potential of CWD
Conclusions: This is the first evidence that CWD can infect humans and cause disease with a distinctive clinical presentation, signature, and tropism, which might be transmissible between humans while current diagnostic assays might fail to detect it. These findings have major implications for public health and CWD-management.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19336896.2022.2091286
you can’t cook the CWD TSE Prion out of meat, in fact, cooking enhances the CWD TSE OrP, increasing seeding activity…terry
Volume 31, Number 2—February 2025
Dispatch
Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Raw, Processed, and Cooked Elk Meat, Texas, USA
Snip…
Of note, our data show that exposure to high temperatures used to cook the meat increased the availability of prions for in vitro amplification. Considering the potential implications in food safety and public health, we believe that the findings described in this study warrant further research. Our results suggest that although the elk meat used in this study resisted different manipulations involved in subsequent consumption by humans, their zoonotic potential was limited. Nevertheless, even though no cases of CWD transmission to human have been reported, the potential for human infection is still unclear and continued monitoring for zoonotic potential is warranted.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/2/24-0906_article
Detection of chronic wasting disease prions in processed meats
Results: Our results show positive prion detection in all the samples analyzed using deer and elk substrates. Surprisingly, cooked meats displayed increased seeding activities. This data suggests that CWD-prions are available to people even after meats are processed and cooked.
Conclusions: These results suggest CWD prions are accessible to humans through meats, even after processing and cooking. Considering the fact that these samples were collected from already processed specimens, the availability of CWD prions to humans is probably underestimated.
"Our results show positive prion detection in all the samples analyzed using deer and elk substrates. Surprisingly, cooked meats displayed increased seeding activities."
Meeting-book-final-version prion 2023 Prion 2023 Congress Organizing Committee and the NeuroPrion Association, we invite you to join us for the International Conference Prion2023 from 16-20 October 2023 in Faro, Portugal.
https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20250828201533/https://prion2023.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Meeting-book-final-version2.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Syed-Zahid-Shah/publication/378314391_Meeting-book-final-version_prion_2023/links/65d44dad28b7720cecdca95f/Meeting-book-final-version-prion-2023.pdf
DETECTION OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE PRIONS IN PROCESSED MEATS.
In this study, we analyzed different processed meats derived from a pre-clinical, CWD-positive free-ranging elk. Products tested included filets, sausages, boneless steaks, burgers, ham steaks, seasoned chili meats, and spiced meats. CWD-prion presence in these products were assessed by PMCA using deer and elk substrates. Our results show positive prion detection in all products. To confirm the resilience of CWD-prions to traditional cooking methods, we grilled and boiled the meat products and evaluated them for any remnant PMCA seeding activity. Results confirmed the presence of CWD-prions in these meat products suggesting that infectious particles may still be available to people even after cooking. Our results strongly suggest ongoing human exposure to CWD-prions and raise significant concerns of zoonotic transmission through ingestion of CWD contaminated meat products.
Products tested included filets, sausages, boneless steaks, burgers, ham steaks, seasoned chili meats, and spiced meats.
CWD-prion presence in these products were assessed by PMCA using deer and elk substrates.
Our results show positive prion detection in all products.
Results confirmed the presence of CWD-prions in these meat products suggesting that infectious particles may still be available to people even after cooking.
Our results strongly suggest ongoing human exposure to CWD-prions and raise significant concerns of zoonotic transmission through ingestion of CWD contaminated meat products.https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true
Transmission of prion infectivity from CWD-infected macaque tissues to rodent models demonstrates the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease.
Further passage to cervidized mice revealed transmission with a 100% attack rate.
Our findings demonstrate that macaques, considered the best model for the zoonotic potential of prions, were infected upon CWD challenge, including the oral one.
The disease manifested as atypical in macaques and initial transgenic mouse transmissions, but with infectivity present at all times, as unveiled in the bank vole model with an unusual tissue tropism.
Epidemiologic surveillance of prion disease among cervid hunters and people likely to have consumed venison contaminated with chronic wasting disease=====
https://intcwdsympo.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/final-agenda-with-abstracts.pdf?force_download=true
Transmission of cervid prions to humanized mice demonstrates the zoonotic potential of CWD
Acta Neuropathol 144, 767–784 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9
Published
22 August 2022
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The finding that infectious PrPSc was shed in fecal material of CWD-infected humanized mice and induced clinical disease, different tropism, and typical three banding pattern-PrPres in bank voles that is transmissible upon second passage is highly concerning for public health. The fact that this biochemical signature in bank voles resembles that of the Wisc-1 original deer isolate and is different from that of bvWisc-1, in the migration profile and the glyco-form-ratio, is valid evidence that these results are not a product of contamination in our study. If CWD in humans is found to be contagious and transmissible among humans, as it is in cervids [57], the spread of the disease within humans might become endemic.
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Our results are the first evidence of a zoonotic risk of CWD when using one of the most common CWD strains, Wisc-1/CWD1 for infection. We demonstrated in a human transgenic mouse model that the species barrier for transmission of CWD to humans is not absolute. The fact that its signature was not typical raises the questions whether CWD would manifest in humans as a subclinical infection, whether it would arise through direct or indirect transmission including an intermediate host, or a silent to uncovered human-to-human transmission, and whether current detection techniques will be sufficient to unveil its presence.
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Furthermore, our findings provide striking insights into how CWD might manifest in humans and the impact it may have on human health. We have used Wisc-1/CWD1, one of the most common CWD strains, notably white-tailed deer prions, which have been shown to be more prone to generate human prions in vitro [47]. This implies a high risk of exposure to this strain, e.g., through consumption or handling of infected carcasses, in contrast to rarer CWD strains, and therefore, an actual risk for human health. Fecal shedding of infectious prions, if it occurs in humans, is particularly concerning because of potential human-to-human transmission and adaptation of hCWD. Overall, our findings suggest that CWD surveillance in humans should encompass a wider spectrum of tissues/organs tested and include new criteria in the diagnosis of potential patients.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00401-022-02482-9
MONDAY, JULY 06, 2026
Cervid CWD TSE PrP Transmission to Humans, has it already happened and being masked as sporadic CJD, What if? July 2026 Review
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/07/cervid-cwd-tse-prp-transmission-to.html
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Environmental Factors Update
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/180/chronic-wasting-disease-environmental-factors
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/09/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-tse-prion.html
CWD TSE PRION CERVID ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS 2023
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375182191_CWD_TSE_PRION_CERVID_ENVIRONMENTAL_RISK_FACTORS_2023
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
Looming Crisis U. S. Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy TSE Prion, in Cattle, Cervid, Sheep, Pigs, and Humans
https://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2026/09/looming-crisis-u-s-transmissible.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/246/looming-crisis-prion-cattle-cervid
SUNDAY, AUGUST 09, 2026
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD and Population Declines of Cervid
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/08/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-and.html
CWD, So, this is what we leave our children and grandchildren?
terry
posted by Terry S. Singeltary Sr. at
4:37 PM
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