Alabama CWD nine new positives were confirmed 2025-2026 time frame with eight in Lauderdale County and one in Colbert County
Alabama CWD nine new positives were confirmed 2025-2026 time frame with eight in Lauderdale County and one in Colbert County
Conservation Advisory Board Updated on ADCNR Projects
Commissioner Chris Blankenship gives details on ADCNR projects to the Conservation Advisory Board. Photo by Emma Goggans March 5, 2026
By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
In its first meeting of 2026, the Alabama Conservation Advisory Board received …
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Commissioner Blankenship provided an update on CWD (chronic wasting disease) cases that affect white-tailed deer. He said nine new positives were confirmed during the 2025-2026 time frame with eight in Lauderdale County and one in Colbert County.
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https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/conservation-advisory-board-updated-adcnr-projects
Mandatory Testing Dates Announced for CWD Management Zone
November 3, 2025
Under Alabama’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone Regulation (220-2-.167), all deer harvested in the High-Risk Zone and the Buffer Zone of the state’s CWD Management Zone (CMZ) must be submitted for CWD testing during specific weekends of the 2025-2026 white-tailed deer season.
The mandatory sampling weekends in the High-Risk Zone of the CMZ are November 22-23, 2025; December 6-7, 2025; and January 17-18, 2026. The mandatory sampling weekends in the Buffer Zone of the CMZ are November 22-23, 2025, and January 17-18, 2026. The High-Risk Zone contains all of Lauderdale and Colbert counties and part of Franklin County, extending north of State Highway 24 from the Alabama/Mississippi state line east to U.S. Highway 43. The Buffer Zone includes the remaining part of Franklin County south of Highway 24 and east of U.S. Highway 43.
Mandatory weekends for the High-Risk Zone and Buffer Zone correspond with peaks in Alabama’s deer harvest, the season’s opening weekend and the rut in northwest Alabama. Outside of those weekends, hunters are encouraged to voluntarily drop off samples for testing at the self-service freezers located in the appropriate CMZ zone. For the remainder of the state outside of the CMZ, hunters are also encouraged to voluntarily drop off samples for testing at self-service freezer locations. Sampling locations throughout the state can be found at www.outdooralabama.com/cwd/cwd-zone-map.
All deer harvested by hunters on certain public land in the CMZ are required to be sampled throughout the season. Those public lands include the Freedom Hills, Lauderdale, and Seven-Mile Island wildlife management areas (WMAs); the Cherokee Physically Disabled Hunting Area; and the Riverton Community Hunting Area.
As an incentive to increase CWD samples submitted for testing on scheduled mandatory testing dates, hunters who harvest a deer from within the CMZ and submit their harvest for CWD testing on the mandatory sampling dates of November 22-23, 2025, and January 17-18, 2026, are eligible to receive a CWD Sampling Permit from ADCNR to harvest one additional antlered deer from within the CMZ for each sample submitted. CWD Sampling Permits are only available at WMA check stations and ADCNR mobile sampling locations. No more than two additional CWD Sampling Permits will be issued per hunter above the season bag limit, combined for the High-Risk and Buffer zones. CWD Sampling Permits are non-transferable.
Carcass restrictions are in place under the CWD regulation that prohibit the transport of harvested deer from the CMZ to areas outside the Buffer or High-Risk zones. Deer harvested within the High-Risk Zone must remain and be disposed of within the High-Risk Zone. Deer harvested within the Buffer Zone must remain and be disposed of within the CMZ. Deboned meat, cleaned skull plates and raw hides with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue may be taken outside of these zones. Transporting deer carcasses out of the management zone can potentially spread CWD to currently unaffected areas.
Hunting license and Game Check requirements apply to all white-tailed deer harvests statewide.
CWD is a contagious neurological disease of white-tailed deer and other deer species. It belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The disease is caused by a mutated protein called a prion. It is always fatal for white-tailed deer. The first case of CWD in Alabama’s deer herd was detected in Lauderdale County in January 2022.
For more information about CWD in Alabama, visit www.outdooralabama.com/cwd-info.
ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.
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https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/mandatory-testing-dates-announced-cwd-management-zone
ADCNR's Blankenship Provides Update to Conservation Advisory Board
May 15, 2025
HB509 was legislation that dealt with deer breeders across the state. The legislation was strongly opposed by ADCNR and numerous national and state wildlife organizations.
“It passed last week with an amendment that we negotiated where we will not go in any deer breeder facilities that are in a CWD (chronic wasting disease) zone and kill deer for testing without a link to a positive somewhere else in the facility,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “There was also a section in that legislation that requires us by March 1, 2026, to work with the industry and others, like the Wildlife Society, the Alabama Wildlife Federation, universities, the state veterinarian and our staff to develop a method to be able to allow movement of deer from deer breeders in a CWD zone to facilities outside the zone if they meet certain criteria we will establish by rule.
https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/adcnrs-blankenship-provides-update-conservation-advisory-board
https://www.outdooralabama.com/cwd/cwd-zone-map
https://www.outdooralabama.com/outdoor-search?prod_outdoor%5Bquery%5D=2026%20cwd
https://www.outdooralabama.com/cwd-chronic-wasting-disease/cwd-news
Alabama CWD Report 12 Cases Confirmed To Date
Alabama Deer Program Report
Courtenay Conring Assistant Chief
I. Harvest/Population Trends
• Alabama hunters reported harvesting 205,913 deer through Game Check during the 2024-2025 hunting season.
• The 2024-25 harvest consisted of 54.7% bucks and 45.3% does.
• Game Check reports were up 1.8% from the 2023- 24 season.
• Game Check compliance for 2023-2024 was estimated at 64.3%. Compliance has not been estimated for 2024-2025.
• 2023-24 harvest estimates generated by the hunter phone survey were:
o 314,496 total deer harvested (49.7% bucks, 50.3% does).
o Up 1.8% from 2022-23 season.
o Up 18.7% from 10-year average.
o 2024-2025 hunter phone survey is in progress.
II. Research
Monitoring Alabama White-tailed Deer Populations to Inform Future Decision Making Working with researchers at Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and Auburn University to develop a modeling, monitoring, and decision analysis framework to inform our understanding of status and trends in WTD abundance and herd composition / population structure and for informing WTD harvest-management decision making at both larger (zone-level) and property-level (e.g., WMA). Information gained from this project will be incorporated into our Statewide Deer Management Plan’s decision support tools, with future phases incorporating impacts of CWD.
III. Regulation Changes/Updates
Nuisance – Deer Depredation Permits and Unantlered Hunting Bag Limits
There has been increased questioning and pressure with Alabama’s legislature, Conservation Advisory Board, and some ag producers regarding issuance of Deer Depredation Permits (DDP). From 2021-2024, all Wildlife Section Districts have had stable to increasing trends of DDP issued and deer permitted to take under the DDP. According to the Alabama Hunter Harvest Annual Reports, statewide harvest has also increased from ~301,000 to 314,000 during the same three-year time frame. In the management zones where depredation data and harvest estimates suggest that deer density is stable or increasing, the daily bag limit of two deer per day remains the same, but hunters can now choose to take one unantlered deer and one antlered deer per day, or two unantlered deer per day. This shift in bag limit structure allows the opportunity for hunters to be a more impactful management option for the ag producers while also increasing hunter satisfaction. Additionally, allowing the harvest of an extra antlerless deer per day could lead to an increase in chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling opportunity and improve surveillance efforts.
Changes to Game Breeder’s License State Statute (HB509)
Amendments were made to Section 9-11-30, Code of Alabama 1975, to include disease-related language. See Disease Issues/Updates section for details.
IV. Disease Issues / Updates- Olivia Sciandra, Wildlife Health Program Coordinator
• Chronic Wasting Disease New Detection Updates
o During the 2024-2025 season, there was a novel detection of CWD in Colbert County, resulting in the previous CWD management zone (CMZ) expanding to include Franklin County. The CMZ high risk zone now encompasses all of Lauderdale, Colbert, and the northwest corner of Franklin County (north of US-24 and west of US-43). The CMZ
Alabama Deer Program Report Courtenay Conring Assistant Chief
buffer zone is the remainder of Franklin County. After the initial detection in Colbert County, the increased surveillance around the initial CWD-positive yielded no additional detections to date.
• CWD Regulation/Statute Changes
o After the inclusion of Franklin County to the CMZ, there was an update to the 220-2- .167 regulation which allowed feeding/baiting in Franklin County for the remainder of the 24-25 season. In the 25-26 season, feeding and baiting will be suspended in Franklin County. We are working to update the 220-2- .167 regulation so that new counties added to the CMZ mid-season will be allowed to feed and bait for the remainder of that season with the suspension of these activities being initiated in the following season.
o HB509 passed during the 2025 legislative session. Our department will adopt rules in consultation with the State Veterinarian on or before March 1, 2026, to allow for the transfer of cervids from a licensee within a designated disease management zone to another licensee outside of a designated disease management zone under the following circumstances including, but not limited to, that the transferring licensee complies with all postmortem testing programs and:
▪ Double fencing of pens and other standards for pens are followed
▪ A USDA certified live test for CWD is used
▪ Scientifically accepted genomic testing values are satisfied
▪ Or any other test approved by the USDA and recommended by the State Veterinarian is used.
o Additionally, the passage of HB509 will result in the change to Alabama’s CWD Strategic Surveillance and Response Plan which previously required the postmortem testing of 10% of a licensee’s herd if a CWD-positive wild detection occurred within 10-miles of a game breeder facility. ADCNR now does not have the ability to require the killing of a cervid due to disease unless:
▪ The specific disease has been detected in another cervid possessed by the licensee
▪ OR the cervid has been transferred to the licensee from another licensee and is epidemiologically linked to a diseased cervid possessed by the transferring licensee.
• CWD Sampling
o 2024-2025 Statewide Surveillance
▪ 3,170 white-tailed deer sampled statewide (2,891 hunter harvest, 236 roadkill, 26 symptomatic, and 17 “other”.
▪ 1,312 does, 1,857 bucks (1 of unknown sex)
▪ 2,540 adults, 524 yearlings, and 106 fawns
▪ In the CMZ, 1,134 deer were sampled
• 687 of these samples (61%) were obtained during the three mandatory CWD weekends (one each in November, December, and January).
Year of Harvest Date Total
County 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Lauderdale 1 1 3 5 1 11
Colbert 0 0 0 1 0 1
Franklin 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1 1 3 6 1 12
https://seafwa.org/sites/default/files/public-files/2025-seafwa-cervid-working-group-report.pdf
Georgia, Alabama Wildlife Agencies Update CWD Situation In The Two States During Webinar
Andrew Curtis | July 28, 2025
Alabama and Georgia are testing hunter-harvested deer for CWD. On July 16, the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust (GALT) hosted a free webinar to discuss updates on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the two states. The speakers were Olivia Sciandra from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Kevin Rose, the assistant state deer biologist from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Georgia has had a total of two positive cases of CWD in wild deer near the Berrien-Lanier county line. The first Georgia diagnosis came in a hunter-killed buck in December 2024.
Alabama has confirmed 12 CWD cases since January 2022, all from two adjacent counties in the northwest corner of the state.
Sciandra began the program by reviewing the CWD disease process and then went into what Alabama has been doing to manage the prion disease since its discovery in Alabama back in 2022.
Both states are using similar approaches, but one of the main differences is that Alabama implemented a bait and feed ban in its CWD Management Area (not statewide). Georgia, however, has made no changes to the baiting regulations, but there are four recommendations that Georgia hunters and landowners are encouraged to follow: broadcast feed over at least 500 square feet of ground, avoid feed troughs, gravity feeders or ground piles, move the bait pile periodically, and bait only while hunting.
For those who have followed the Georgia CWD updates since January, not much has changed. Rose reiterated the benefits of Georgia’s being the 36th state to diagnose CWD.
“We have seen what programs work to manage CWD in deer herds in 35 states over the past 50 plus years,” he said.
Georgia DNR has planned for this since 2002, and in 2019, a risk-based surveillance method developed by Cornell University was implemented in Georgia, resulting in the first positive case being detected this past deer season. Rose stated, “Our response plan has evolved over 22 years of monitoring the 35 states that found it before us. CWD is likely here to stay and will require continual monitoring and adaptive management long term.”
Georgia DNR has established a CWD Management Zone that encompasses Lanier and Berrien counties. Many people have asked what will happen if CWD is discovered in another area of Georgia.
“CWD spread is inevitable, and if we detect CWD somewhere else in the state outside the CWD Management Area (CMA), then we will implement cluster sampling in that area like we are currently doing,” Rose explained. “Cluster sampling (harvesting five to seven deer per herd) is the most effective way to manage the spread of disease, and it is intentionally designed to not significantly reduce the population.”
The goal is to manage CWD in a way to not affect hunting, since hunting is such an integral part of our state’s heritage.
This year a Georgia statewide rule was put into effect instructing how to dispose of deer carcasses to prevent the spread of CWD. There are several options listed in the Carcass Disposal Rule: leave the carcass on the property where the deer was killed since that property would already be considered contaminated; use a commercial deer processor; take the carcass to a permitted solid waste landfill or dispose in household garbage, which will end up in the landfills; bury the carcass at least 3 feet below the surface; use a commercial incinerator; or any other approved method listed in the Dead Animal Disposal Act.
All deer harvested in the CWD Management Area are encouraged to be tested. Results from CWD Management Area deer should take two to six weeks, and there will be no charge to the hunter. Deer outside of the CMA that are tested may take months because they are lower priority, and these tests will require payment from the hunter. Test locations will be displayed on an interactive map at georgiawildlife.com/cwd. If a positive result occurs, the hunter will receive a direct phone call and an email before the result is posted on the website dashboard.
Remember, CWD has never been shown to cross over into humans, but the CDC still advises to avoid contaminated meat.
For more information, visit Georgia DNR’s CWD website at georgiawildlife.com/cwd.
https://gon.com/news/georgia-alabama-wildlife-agencies-update-cwd-situation-in-the-two-states-during-webinar
See;
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2025
Alabama CWD Report 12 Cases Confirmed To Date
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/09/alabama-cwd-report-12-cases-confirmed.html
Press release December 23, 2024 Contact: Marianne Gauldin, (334) 242-1814
CWD Detection in Colbert County Expands the State’s CWD Management Zone
A white-tailed deer recently harvested by a hunter in Colbert County in northwest Alabama has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The detection of CWD in Colbert County has resulted in an expansion of the state’s CWD Management Zone (CMZ) to include all of Colbert, Lauderdale and Franklin counties in the CMZ.
A portion of Franklin County has been included in the High-Risk Zone (HRZ) within the CMZ. The HRZ portion of Franklin County extends north of State Highway 24 from the Alabama/Mississippi state line east to U.S. Highway 43 (see attached map). The remainder of Franklin County south of State Highway 24 and east of U.S. Highway 43 has been designated as a Buffer Zone within the CMZ.
“I would like to thank our hunters for submitting their harvest samples for testing,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). “They are our most important partners in the management of this disease in Alabama.”
Preliminary tests performed at the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) discovered the non-negative case in Colbert County. The non-negative result was then confirmed positive by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. This is the first case of CWD detected in Colbert County and brings the total number of CWD positive detections to nine statewide.
CWD is a contagious neurological disease of white-tailed deer and other deer species. It belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The disease is caused by a mutated protein called a prion. It is always fatal for deer. The first case of CWD in Alabama’s deer herd was detected in Lauderdale County in January 2022.
During the remainder of deer gun season on privately owned or leased land within the CMZ, the bag limit for unantlered deer has been increased to two per day.
Hunters are required to submit heads for CWD testing from all deer harvested within the CMZ at drop-off freezer locations or at scheduled ADCNR mobile sampling stations during the next mandatory sampling weekend on January 11-12, 2025. The mandatory sampling weekend applies to all of Lauderdale, Colbert and Franklin counties. Hunters are reminded that carcasses and other deer parts harvested within the HRZ must remain in the HRZ. Carcasses or other deer parts cannot be moved outside the CMZ.
Additionally, supplemental wildlife feeding and baiting privileges are not allowed within the CMZ. The supplemental feeding rule does not apply to bird feeders within 100 feet of a building or occupied dwelling or feed inside an active feral hog trap. Supplemental feeding and baiting privileges are allowed outside of the CMZ.
For more information about CWD in Alabama, please visit www.outdooralabama.com/cwd-info.
ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.
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CWD Zone Map 12-23-24.jpg
https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/cwd-detection-colbert-county-expands-states-cwd-management-zone
*** Alabama CWD TSE Prion 2023
(2020, Alabama, to date, has detected NO cases of CWD TSE Prion...tss)
*** Alabama CWD TSE Prion 2023 TO DATE 5 CASES CONFIRMED
Alabama Two Additional Cases of CWD Confirmed in Northern Lauderdale County
Press release December 15, 2023 Contact: Marianne Gauldin, (334) 242-3469
Alabama Two Additional Cases of CWD Confirmed in Northern Lauderdale County
Two Additional Cases of CWD Confirmed in Northern Lauderdale County The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announces that two additional cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in hunter harvested, white-tailed deer have been confirmed in northern Lauderdale County in northwest Alabama. The two additional deer bring Alabama’s total number of confirmed CWD cases to five.
CWD in Alabama’s deer herd was first detected in Lauderdale County in January 2022. After the first case was confirmed, all of Lauderdale and Colbert counties were designated as a CWD Management Zone (CMZ).
So far during the 2023-2024 hunting season, samples have been collected from more than 1,700 white-tailed deer harvested statewide with 420 of those samples collected within the CMZ. One of the positive samples was submitted during the second CMZ mandatory sampling weekend (December 2-3). The other positive sample was voluntarily submitted at a drop-off sampling location by a hunter as part of ADCNR's ongoing CWD monitoring efforts. The next mandatory sampling weekend in the buffer zone of the CMZ is January 6-7, 2024.
“I would like to thank hunters for their continued support by providing a robust number of samples for CWD testing since the disease was first detected in Alabama,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner. “Hunters are our most important partners in the management of CWD as we move forward with future deer seasons. We also thank the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries for their continued partnership with statewide CWD monitoring. Their assistance by testing the samples allows us to better serve our constituents by providing them with timely information on the distribution and extent of CWD in Alabama.”
CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Among cervids, CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that commonly results in altered behavior due to microscopic changes of the brain of affected animals. An animal may carry the disease for years without outward indication. In latter stages of the disease, signs may include listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns and a lack of responsiveness.
It is important that hunters be familiar with Alabama’s CWD regulation and the CWD regulations in other states. To review Alabama’s regulation and the latest information about CWD in the state, visit www.outdooralabama.com/cwd-info.
ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.
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CMZ map attached (includes locations of positive cases)
CMZ zone map 12-15-23.jpg
https://www.outdooralabama.com/sites/default/files/CMZ%20zone%20map%2012-15-23.jpg
https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/two-additional-cases-cwd-confirmed-northern-lauderdale-county
https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/mandatory-cwd-testing-dates-announced-lauderdale-and-colbert-counties
Posted: February 16, 2023
Third Case of CWD Confirmed in Lauderdale County
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announces that a third case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a hunter harvested, white-tailed deer has been confirmed in Lauderdale County in northwest, Alabama. The first two cases of CWD in Alabama’s deer herd were detected in Lauderdale County in early 2022.
Samples were collected from more than 3,500 white-tailed deer harvested statewide with over 1,100 of those samples collected within the CMZ during the 2022-2023 hunting season. More than 98% of all samples collected within the CMZ have been tested by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and the results have been received by ADCNR. Currently, only one positive has been detected this season. The positive sample was voluntarily submitted by a hunter as part of ADCNR's ongoing CWD monitoring efforts.
https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/third-case-cwd-confirmed-lauderdale-county
http://www.outdooralabama.com/cwd/latest-cwd-information
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2023/02/alabama-third-case-of-cwd-confirmed-in.html
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019
Alabama WFF Ramps Up Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Sampling Effort
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2019/01/alabama-wff-ramps-up-chronic-wasting.html
THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017
Alabama Atypical BSE CJD CWD TSE Prion Update
https://bseusa.blogspot.com/2017/07/alabama-atypical-bse-cjd-cwd-tse-prion.html
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2016
ALABAMA CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE PRION SURVEILLANCE AND TESTING PROGRAM?
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2016/03/alabama-chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-tse.html
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 01, 2012
ALABAMA BIG BUCK PROJECT, A CWD TSE PRION ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/11/alabama-big-buck-project-cwd-tse-prion.html
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2026
Alabama ADAI SUPPORTS CWD GENOMIC TESTING FOR DEER BREEDERS, MORE CWD TSE PRION POKER?
ADAI SUPPORTS CWD GENOMIC TESTING FOR DEER BREEDERS
February 5, 2026
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/02/alabama-adai-supports-cwd-genomic.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/204/alabama-supports-genomic-testing-breeders
Review on PRNP genetics and susceptibility to chronic wasting disease of Cervidae
Published: 07 October 2021 Volume 52, article number 128, (2021)
Veterinary Research
Katayoun Moazami-Goudarzi, Olivier Andréoletti, Jean-Luc Vilotte & Vincent Béringue
Abstract
To date, chronic wasting disease (CWD) is the most infectious form of prion disease affecting several captive, free ranging and wild cervid species. Responsible for marked population declines in North America, its geographical spread is now becoming a major concern in Europe. Polymorphisms in the prion protein gene (PRNP) are an important factor influencing the susceptibility to prions and their rate of propagation. All reported cervid PRNP genotypes are affected by CWD. However, in each species, some polymorphisms are associated with lower attack rates and slower progression of the disease. This has potential consequences in terms of genetic selection, CWD diffusion and strain evolution. CWD also presents a zoonotic risk due to prions capacity to cross species barriers. This review summarizes our current understanding of CWD control, focusing on PRNP genetic, strain diversity and capacity to infect other animal species, including humans.
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It seems so far that all deer, irrespective of their PRNPgenotype, are susceptible to CWD, but natural selection of the less susceptible alleles has been identified. The positive impact of these animals if infected is still a matter of debate since CWD does not compromise reproduction, at least in WTD [28, 139]. CWD positive animals with extended time before they succumb to disease likely represent a source of chronic prion shedding within populations and may contribute to environmental contamination. Many genetic approaches where PRNP sequences, genetic relationship, population structure and bottleneck history are used to understand this wildlife disease, but they need to be included into more complex processes. Interactions between hosts, strains and their environment have to be considered. Various CWD strainsi have already been identified but remain incompletely characterized. CWD can be transmitted horizontally and potentially vertically.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13567-021-00993-z
“It seems so far that all deer, irrespective of their PRNPgenotype, are susceptible to CWD, but natural selection of the less susceptible alleles has been identified.”
“CWD positive animals with extended time before they succumb to disease likely represent a source of chronic prion shedding within populations and may contribute to environmental contamination.”
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13567-021-00993-z
Volume 30, Number 10—October 2024
Research
Temporal Characterization of Prion Shedding in Secreta of White-Tailed Deer in Longitudinal Study of Chronic Wasting Disease, United States
Our findings suggest that deer expressing alternative PRNP polymorphisms might live longer and, although they shed fewer prions throughout CWD course, might over their extended lifespan increase CWD prions in the environment
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/30/10/24-0159_article
Prion protein gene sequence and chronic wasting disease susceptibility in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Adam L Brandt, Amy C Kelly, Michelle L Green, Paul Shelton, Jan Novakofski & Nohra E Mateus-Pinilla
Pages 449-462 | Received 21 Sep 2015, Accepted 23 Oct 2015, Published online: 21 Dec 2015 https://doi.org/10.1080/19336896.2015.1115179
The presence of aa96S has been associated with slowed disease progression, longer life span among captive deer,Citation26,27 and does not appear to affect the rate at which prions are shed from infected individuals.Citation38 Additionally, CWD infected mule deer have been found to excrete pathogenic prions while asymptomatic.Citation39 This contributes to concerns that wild deer with aa96S may be shedding infectious prions into the environment for longer periods of time than deer lacking the mutation, but are not symptomatic or detectable by immunohistochemical procedures.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19336896.2015.1115179#d1e354
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4964855/pdf/kprn-09-06-1115179.pdf
“If slower disease progression results in longer-lived, infected deer with longer periods of infectiousness, resistance may lead to increased disease transmission rates, higher prion concentrations in the environment, and increased prevalence, as has been observed in some captive deer herds (Miller et al., 2006; Keane et al., 2008a).”
Genetic susceptibility to chronic wasting disease in free-ranging white-tailed deer: Complement component C1q and Prnp polymorphisms§
Julie A. Blanchong a, *, Dennis M. Heisey b , Kim T. Scribner c , Scot V. Libants d , Chad Johnson e , Judd M. Aiken e , Julia A. Langenberg f , Michael D. Samuel g
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Identifying the genetic basis for heterogeneity in disease susceptibility or progression can improve our understanding of individual variation in disease susceptibility in both free-ranging and captive populations. What this individual variation in disease susceptibility means for the trajectory of disease in a population, however, is not straightforward. For example, the greater, but not complete, resistance to CWD in deer with at least one Serine (S) at amino acid 96 of the Prnp gene appears to be associated with slower progression of disease (e.g., Johnson et al., 2006; Keane et al., 2008a). If slower disease progression results in longer-lived, infected deer with longer periods of infectiousness, resistance may lead to increased disease transmission rates, higher prion concentrations in the environment, and increased prevalence, as has been observed in some captive deer herds (Miller et al., 2006; Keane et al., 2008a). Alternatively, if the slower progression of disease in resistant deer is not associated with longer periods of infectiousness, but might instead indicate a higher dose of PrPCWD is required for infection, transmission rates in the population could decline especially if, as in Wisconsin, deer suffer high rates of mortality from other sources (e.g., hunting). Clearly, determining the relationship between genetic susceptibility to infection, dose requirements, disease progression, and the period of PrPCWD infectiousness are key components for understanding the consequences of CWD to free-ranging populations.
http://web.archive.org/web/20121114223603/http://forest.wisc.edu/files/pdfs/samuel/2009%20blanchong%20et%20al%20genetic%20susceptibility%20chronic%20wasting.pdf
https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/630cd976-0c33-4b0a-bc97-96e2669107d5/content
''There are no known familial or genetic TSEs of animals, although polymorphisms in the PRNP gene of some species (sheep for example) may influence the length of the incubation period and occurrence of disease.''
c) The commonest form of CJD occurs as a sporadic disease, the cause of which is unknown, although genetic factors (particularly the codon 129 polymorphism in the prion protein gene (PRNP)) influence disease susceptibility. The familial forms of human TSEs (see Box 1) appear to have a solely genetic origin and are closely associated with mutations or insertions in the PRNP gene. Most, but not all, of the familial forms of human TSEs have been transmitted experimentally to animals. There are no known familial or genetic TSEs of animals, although polymorphisms in the PRNP gene of some species (sheep for example) may influence the length of the incubation period and occurrence of disease.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/209755/Part_1_-_Introduction.pdf
CWD cash cow, indemnity?
‘cash cow’?
they call it indemnity, tax payers paying for captive CWD?
2025 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
Cervids
APHIS works with State agencies to encourage cervid owners to certify their herds by meeting the requirements in the CWD Herd Certification Program (HCP) Standards. APHIS’ voluntary national CWD HCP helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds. Currently, 28 States participate in the national CWD HCP.
In 2023, eight percent of the farmed cervids in the HCP were tested for CWD at APHIS and State laboratories.
Of the 303,242 farmed cervids tested in 2023, APHIS confirmed 22 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds.
APHIS provided Federal indemnity to depopulate one of the newly identified positive herds and approved an indemnity payment for a second positive herd which will be provided in 2024 once depopulation occurs. The remaining infected herds are under State quarantines.
APHIS determines the use of Federal indemnity payments within the CWD program on a case-by-case basis. In 2023, APHIS made approximately $12.3 million available for cooperative agreements with States and Tribal governments to further develop and implement CWD surveillance, testing, management, and response activities. This includes the further development and evaluation of techniques and strategies to prevent or control CWD in farmed and wild cervid populations. APHIS funded cooperative agreement with 22 States, 15 universities, and 11 Tribes and Tribal Organizations for CWD projects…
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/22-APHIS-2025-ExNotes.pdf
2024 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
Cervids
APHIS works with State agencies to encourage cervid owners to certify their herds by meeting the requirements in the CWD Herd Certification Program (HCP) Standards. APHIS’ voluntary national CWD HCP helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds.
Currently, 28 States participate in the national CWD HCP.
In 2022, 7 percent of the 285,589 farmed cervids in the HCP participating states were tested for CWD at State and APHIS laboratories.
APHIS confirmed 23 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds.
APHIS provided Federal indemnity to depopulate nine of the newly identified positive herds in 2022. The remaining infected herds are under State quarantines. APHIS determines the use of Federal indemnity payments within the CWD program on a case-by-case basis. In 2022, APHIS made approximately $9.4 million available for cooperative agreements with States and Tribal governments to further develop and implement CWD surveillance, testing, management, and response activities. This includes the further development and evaluation of techniques and strategies to prevent or control CWD in farmed and wild cervid populations. APHIS funded 27 States and 5 Tribes, 1 Tribal Organization, and 1 State university. The State university agreement was to conduct wild cervid surveillance on Tribal lands…
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/23-2024-APHIS.pdf
2023 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
Cervids
APHIS coordinates with State agencies to encourage cervid owners to certify their herds and comply with the CWD Herd Certification Program (HCP) Standards…
APHIS’ voluntary national CWD HCP helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds.
Currently, 28 States participate in the national CWD HCP. In FY 2021, more than 20,502 farmed cervids were tested for CWD at State and APHIS laboratories.
As a result, APHIS identified 35 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds.
APHIS provided Federal indemnity to depopulate nine of the newly identified deer herds in FY 2021. The remaining infected herds are under State quarantines. APHIS determines the use of Federal indemnity payments within the CWD program on a case-by-case basis. In 2021, APHIS made $5.6 million available in cooperative agreement funding to further develop and implement CWD surveillance, testing, management, and response activities, including the further development and evaluation of techniques and strategies to prevent or control CWD in farmed and wild cervid populations. APHIS funded awards to 39 entities: 20 to State Departments of Wildlife, 11 to State Departments of Agriculture, and 8 to Tribal Organizations.
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/23-2023-APHIS.pdf
2022 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
Cervids
APHIS coordinates with State agencies to encourage cervid owners to certify their herds and comply with the CWD Herd Certification Program Standards…
APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds.
Currently, 28 States participate in the national CWD HCP. In FY 2020, more than 11,182 farmed cervids were tested for CWD at State and APHIS laboratories.
As a result, APHIS identified 22 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds.
APHIS provided Federal indemnity to depopulate 15 of the 22 newly identified deer herds in FY 2020.
Four additional farmed cervid herds that were identified as CWD positive herds in FY 2019, were indemnified in FY 2020.
The remaining infected herds are under State quarantines.
APHIS determines the use of Federal indemnity payments within the CWD program on a case- by-case basis. In FY 2020, APHIS and the Department of Interior held a virtual summit with representatives from State agriculture and wildlife agencies, Tribal Nations, conservation and hunting groups, and the cervid industry to identify and discuss stakeholder CWD management needs and information gaps that need to be addressed to effectively control CWD. The information from the summit helped APHIS establish priorities for proposals for competitive cooperative agreements dedicated to CWD control. These cooperative agreement opportunities allow for State departments of agriculture, State animal health agencies, State departments of wildlife or natural resources, and Tribal governments to further develop and implement CWD management and response activities in accordance with the following priorities:
• improving CWD management of affected farmed herds and free-ranging endemic populations;
• improving CWD management of affected areas or premises;
• conducting additional research on amplification assays;
• conducting additional research on predictive genetics; and,
• developing and/or delivering educational outreach materials or programs.
To execute projects based upon those priorities, APHIS funded awards to 25 entities:
19 to State Departments of Natural Resources, 5 to State Departments of Agriculture, and 1 to Tribal Nations.
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/22APHIS2022Notes.pdf
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
Cervids
In FY 2019, 10 mule deer were tested as part of the project and all 10 tested negative.
Currently, 28 States participate in APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP).
In FY 2019 APHIS tested more than 11,000 farmed cervids for CWD.
As a result, APHIS identified 17 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds.
APHIS provided Federal indemnity to depopulate 7 of the 17 newly identified deer herds in FY 2019. The remaining infected herds found in FY 2019 are under State quarantines.
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/20aphis2021notes.pdf
2020 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
Cervids
APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds.
Currently, 28 States participate in the national CWD HCP and the program used an immunohistochemistry test method to test 21,584 farmed cervids for CWD.
In FY 2018, APHIS identified 15 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds (14 deer herds and 1 reindeer herd).
The reindeer herd in Illinois was the first confirmed case of CWD in a reindeer in North America.
APHIS provided Federal indemnity to depopulate seven of the 15 newly identified deer herds in FY 2018.
The Agency also provided funding for the test and removal of 161 high risk animals that were in close proximity to reactors.
The remaining herds in FY 2018 are under State quarantines.
The Agency determines the use of Federal indemnities within the CWD program on a case-by-case basis. 20-59
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/20aphis2020notes.pdf
2019 President’s Budget Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Cervids
APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds.
Currently, 28 States participate in the national CWD HCP and the program tested 23,053 farmed cervids for CWD.
In FY 2017, eight new CWD positive farmed cervid herds were identified– one white-tail deer in Iowa, one white-tail deer herd in Minnesota, one white-tail and mule deer herd in Minnesota, one white-tail and sika deer herd in Michigan, three white-tail deer herds in Pennsylvania, and one white-tail deer herd in Texas.
APHIS provided Federal indemnity to depopulate the Iowa herd, the white-tail deer herd in Minnesota, one herd in Pennsylvania and the Texas herd. The State depopulated the Michigan herd. The remaining herds are under State quarantines. One Texas herd used Federal indemnity to remove and test select, high-risk animals to inform the epidemiological investigation and to evaluate the performance of ante-mortem tests.
The Agency determines the use of Federal indemnities within the CWD program on a case-by-case basis. The CWD Program Standards provide guidance on how to meet CWD Herd Certification Program and interstate movement requirements. In July 2016, APHIS convened a working group of State and Federal animal health and wildlife officials and representatives from the farmed cervidae industry to review the CWD Program Standards. APHIS issued a summary of the working group’s discussions and recommended changes to the CWD Program Standards at the 2016 United States Animal Health Association meeting for public comment. APHIS evaluated public comments, and is currently reviewing revisions to the CWD Program. In FY 2017, APHIS published VS Guidance 8000: Requirements for Interstate Transport of Wild Caught Cervids. This guidance document establishes a recommended minimum standard for testing and a uniform process of disease risk assessment to help prevent the spread of cervid diseases such as chronic wasting disease (CWD), bovine tuberculosis (TB), and brucellosis when wild cervids are captured for interstate movement and release.
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/20aphis2019notes.pdf
2018 President’s Budget Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Cervids
APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds considered to be low risk.
Currently, 29 States participate in the national CWD HCP.
In FY 2016, the program tested 14,503 farmed cervids for CWD and identified seven new CWD positive farmed cervid herds – two white-tail deer herds in Texas, three white-tail deer herds in Wisconsin, one elk herd in Colorado and one elk herd in Iowa. The elk herd in Colorado was depopulated without Federal indemnity and the rest of the herds are under State quarantines. One Texas herd used Federal indemnity to remove and test select animals to inform the epidemiological investigation and to evaluate 20-72 the performance of ante-mortem tests.
The use of Federal indemnities within the CWD program is determined on a case-by-case basis. APHIS is also conducting several pilot projects related to new technologies. In FY 2016, the Agency sponsored a pilot project in Ohio to evaluate the use of a new method for ante-mortem testing in whitetail deer known as rectoanal mucosa associated lymphoid tissue or RAMALT testing. A proof-of-concept pilot project was also performed by APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) to evaluate ante-mortem biopsies of the medial retropharyngeal lymph node biopsy or MRPLN biopsy. APHIS anticipates implementing both types of ante- mortem testing in the future. Beginning early September 2014, APHIS, in cooperation with the National Agricultural Statistics Service, conducted the first national study of the U.S. farmed cervid industry. The study surveyed 3,000 producers from all States that have farmed cervids. The study provides baseline industry statistics, a description of current production practices and challenges, producer-reported disease occurrences, and an overview of health management and biosecurity practices. A report from the study is now available in electronic and printed formats at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/nahms.
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/20aphisexnotes2018.pdf
2017 Explanatory Notes Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Cervids
APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds considered to be low risk.
Currently, 30 States participate in the national CWD HCP: 29 have Approved Status and 1 has Provisional Approved Status. States that meet the CWD HCP requirements have Approved Status and States that do not meet CWD HCP program requirements but have developed a work plan and time frame with APHIS to complete those requirements have Provisional Approved Status.
In FY 2015, the program tested approximately 20,000 farmed cervids for CWD and identified eight new CWD positive farmed white-tailed deer herds – one in Utah, one in Pennsylvania, two in Ohio, two in Wisconsin, and two in Texas.
APHIS depopulated five of these herds (Pennsylvania, Utah, and one each in Wisconsin, Texas, and Ohio). Six elk herds in Colorado, four elk herds in Nebraska, one white-tailed deer herd in Wisconsin and one white-tailed deer herd in Texas remained in quarantine at the end of FY 2015.
APHIS also provided indemnity for and was the lead agency for the depopulation and disposal of four large CWD infected farmed cervid herds in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, and Texas. In cooperation with the National Agricultural Statistics Service, APHIS conducted the first national study of the U.S. farmed-cervid industry in FY 2015. The study provides baseline industry statistics, a description of production practices and challenges, producer-reported disease occurrences, and an overview of health management and biosecurity practices.
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/20aphis2017notes.pdf
2016 Explanatory Notes Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/20aphis2016notes.pdf
2015 Explanatory Notes Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/20aphis2015notes.pdf
2014 Explanatory Notes Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/18aphis2014notes.pdf
USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE 2025-2014 CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE CERVID
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-explanatory-notes-animal-and-plant.html
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2025
Captive Cervid and the Economic Burden of Chronic Wasting Disease 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
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/12/aphis-usda-captive-cwd-herds-update-by.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/187/aphis-captive-herds-update-december
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2026
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion, Economical, Environmental, Zoonotic, Risk Factors 2026
https://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2026/02/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-tse-prion.html
ARS Research Project: Elucidating the Pathobiology and Transmission of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies 2025
“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.”
Research Project: Elucidating the Pathobiology and Transmission of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
Location: Virus and Prion Research
2025 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Develop highly sensitive detection tools to determine the distribution of CWD and scrapie prions in natural hosts (sheep, goats, cervids) and their environment.
Objective 2: Investigate the pathobiology of CWD, scrapie prion strains, and atypical TSEs in natural hosts including potential cross species transmission events.
Objective 3: Investigate the genetics of CWD susceptibility and resistance in white-tailed deer.
Objective 4: Evaluate the presence of and determine the appropriate methodology for CWD strain determination.
Approach
Eradication or control of a family of diseases is unlikely or impossible when an understanding of the basic mechanisms and influences on transmission are unknown and for which methods to evaluate disease status are lacking. Scrapie and BSE represent the most thoroughly studied TSEs; however, significant knowledge gaps persist with regard to the atypical variants of these diseases. Further, much of the research emphasis to date on genetics of prion disease has focused on the recipient genotype rather than the source. Since both atypical BSE and atypical scrapie have been suggested to occur spontaneously, eradication of these diseases may not be possible unless we expand our understanding of the disease at both the source and recipient level. A better understanding of the tissue distribution and potential transmission of these atypical isolates is critical to understanding what risk these disease variants may pose to ongoing control and eradication efforts. The European epizootic of BSE is waning and efforts to eradicate scrapie in the U.S. and abroad have progressed but are not complete. In the U.S., chronic wasting disease (CWD) presents the most serious challenge to regulatory efforts. CWD appears to be spreading unchecked in both free-ranging and farmed cervids. Methods for antemortem detection of TSEs in general and CWD in particular are needed to fulfill the goal of eradicating scrapie and controlling CWD. Performing these studies will allow us to address critical knowledge gaps that are relevant to developing measures to restrict further disease expansion beyond current, affected populations. Understanding prion disease persistence in animal populations is challenging due to lack of tools for study and a less than complete understanding of transmission among animals within a flock or herd or in naturally occurring reservoirs. In addition to transmission between hosts of like species, free-ranging cervids may come in contact with numerous other species including cattle, sheep, and other susceptible hosts. Transmission of CWD to other species has been studied but limited with regard to the source genotype used. The four primary objectives are inherently linked. Our focus is on developing tools needed for control and research, and using those tools to advance our understanding the complex disease process with the overall goal of eradication and control of disease in livestock, wildlife of economic importance, and potential wildlife reservoirs.
Progress Report
The goals of the project plan for fiscal year (FY) 2025 consisted of 12 milestones, 11 of which were either fully or substantially met. The only milestone in this plan that was not met was due to insufficient animal availability and space constraints. Previous studies utilizing this space are not complete due to longer than anticipated incubation periods and cannot be initiated until those studies are complete. In work toward addressing
Objective 1, “Develop highly sensitive detection tools to determine the distribution of chronic wasting disease (CWD) and scrapie prions in natural hosts (sheep, goats, cervids) and their environment”, we have worked closely with ARS researchers in Pullman, Washington, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and university partners. The tools under development are directly utilized by state diagnostic labs and have been shared with the appropriate end users for evaluation. We have also assessed alternative dyes that have do not induce amyloid formation in the amplification based diagnostic assay known as RT-QuIC. While no increase in sensitivity was observed, differences between strains were found offering an additional means to differentiate strains for some TSEs.
Objective 2, “Investigate the pathobiology of CWD, scrapie prion strains, and atypical TSEs in natural hosts including potential cross species transmission events”, the studies in question have been initiated with the goal of furthering the understanding of these TSEs in agriculturally relevant species including the natural host species and other that may be exposed to these TSEs in an agricultural environment. The studies are ongoing and anticipated to last upwards of 5 year and observation of the animals is ongoing. No anticipated signs of disease or relevant reportable information have been seen nor are they expected until near the onset of clinical signs, but if they are observed they will be reported.
Objective 3, “Investigate the genetics of CWD susceptibility and resistance in white-tailed deer”, consists of two subobjectives:
A) Investigate the susceptibility of white-tailed deer to CWD modeling direct contact exposure with infected deer, and
B) Investigate the susceptibility of white-tailed deer to CWD after direct inoculation.
The first of these has been initiated on schedule while the second has been delayed considerably (greater than 3 years at this point) due to insufficient animal space.Upon completion these two studies will aid in understanding the disease and disease progression.
Objective 4, “Evaluate the presence of and determine the appropriate methodology for CWD strain determination”, is dependent upon obtaining a diverse set of CWD isolates. We are continuing the acquisition of these samples. . Strains are one of the least understood aspects of TSEs as a whole and of importance in understanding the risks of CWD. We have initiated studies that will address the biochemical nature of prion strains and how these strains are maintained in a host which will aid in addressing features and differentiation of strains as additional samples become available.
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.
2. 02 Showed that gene-targeted mice are capable of reproducing strain specific effects typically limited to natural host species of chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD is a highly contagious disease of deer, elk, moose, and reindeer found in North America, South Korea, and Scandinavian countries that is caused by misfolded proteins called prions. CWD prions transmit through direct contact between infected animals, or through contaminated soil, grass, or water. All prion diseases exhibit progressive neurodegeneration and ultimately death. Scientists typically study CWD by injecting prions into susceptible animals' brains in lab experiments. Intracranial prion injections are favored because they typically produce shorter incubation periods and higher disease attack rates compared to natural infection. ARS researchers in Ames, Iowa, along with university collaborators showed that this inoculation method can cause the prion strains to change in a way that does not accurately reflect how the disease spreads naturally. They found that using a combination of peripheral inoculation (injection outside the brain) in natural hosts and using novel gene-targeted mice generated in a manner that provides a more natural expression of the inserted prion gene that gives a more accurate picture of how CWD behaves in the real world. The novel mouse model provides an important strategy to precisely assess the zoonotic potential (likelihood of transmission from animals to humans) of CWD and other animal prion diseases using natural routes of transmission. This will impact the tools used and direction of future studies of CWD and other prion diseases allowing more rapid and comprehensive responses to emerging questions aiding both the researchers at the producers they support…end
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=440677&fy=202
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD vs Scrapie TSE Prion
Volume 30, Number 8—August 2024
Research
Scrapie Versus Chronic Wasting Disease in White-Tailed Deer
Zoe J. Lambert1, Jifeng Bian, Eric D. Cassmann, M. Heather West Greenlee, and Justin J. Greenlee
Author affiliations: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA (Z.J. Lambert); US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, USA (Z.J. Lambert, J. Bian, E.D. Cassmann, J.J. Greenlee); Iowa State University, Ames (Z.J. Lambert, M.H. West Greenlee) Suggested citation for this article
Abstract
White-tailed deer are susceptible to scrapie (WTD scrapie) after oronasal inoculation with the classical scrapie agent from sheep. Deer affected by WTD scrapie are difficult to differentiate from deer infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD). To assess the transmissibility of the WTD scrapie agent and tissue phenotypes when further passaged in white-tailed deer, we oronasally inoculated wild-type white-tailed deer with WTD scrapie agent. We found that WTD scrapie and CWD agents were generally similar, although some differences were noted. The greatest differences were seen in bioassays of cervidized mice that exhibited significantly longer survival periods when inoculated with WTD scrapie agent than those inoculated with CWD agent. Our findings establish that white-tailed deer are susceptible to WTD scrapie and that the presence of WTD scrapie agent in the lymphoreticular system suggests the handling of suspected cases should be consistent with current CWD guidelines because environmental shedding may occur.
snip…
The potential for zoonoses of cervid-derived PrPSc is still not well understood (6,18,45–47); however, interspecies transmission can increase host range and zoonotic potential (48–50). Therefore, to protect herds and the food supply, suspected cases of WTD scrapie should be handled the same as cases of CWD.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/30/8/24-0007_article
Location: Virus and Prion Research
2025 Annual Report
https://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2025/12/ars-research-elucidating-pathobiology.html
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2026
atypical Nor-98, CH1641, Scrapie, TSE Prion, Update 2026
https://nor-98.blogspot.com/2026/02/atypical-nor-98-ch1641-scrapie-tse.html
***> PIGS CWD PIGS CWD PIGS CWD <***
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026
***> Chronic wasting disease prions in cervids and wild pigs in North America Preliminary Outbreak
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/697a3b013c71d838df6bd413/CWD_Prions_in_Cervids_and_Wild_Pigs_in_North_America.pdf
https://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2026/01/chronic-wasting-disease-prions-in.html
THURSDAY, JANUARY 08, 2026
Confucius Ponders, what about Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) and CWD TSE Prion, and the Environment, what if?
Confucius Ponders, what about Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa), they can cover some distance rather quickly, what about Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) digging up the terrain, and as they do it, what if these Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) were exposed to CWD TSE Prion, and then they go on exposing and saturating the land with CWD TSE Prion, then the soil becomes contaminated with CWD TSE Prion, then what about the plants that grow from that soil for the decades to come, what if???
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/190/confucius-ponders-wild-pigs-scrofa
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/01/confucius-ponders-what-about-wild-pigs.html
Scrapie, CWD, BSE, CJD, TSE, PrP Update 2026
***> CWD Action Plan National Program 103 Animal Health 2022-2027 UPDATE JANUARY 2026
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/189/action-national-program-animal-health
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/01/cwd-action-plan-national-program-103.html
***> SCRAPIE TSE Prion USA RAPID RESPONSE URGENT UPDATES DECEMBER 25, 2025
***> CWD vs Scrapie Urgent Update
https://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2025/12/scrapie-tse-prion-usa-rapid-response.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/186/scrapie-prion-response-urgent-updates
***> 2026 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES, APHIS, CWD, BSE, Scrapie, TSE, Prion
https://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2025/12/2026-usda-explanatory-notes-aphis-cwd.html
USDA National Scrapie Program History and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Update 2025 and history there from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396084947_USDA_National_Scrapie_Program_History_and_Bovine_Spongiform_Encephalopathy_BSE_TSE0AUpdate_2
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026
Pathogenesis, Transmission and Detection of Zoonotic Prion Diseases Project Number 5P01AI077774-14 2025
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2026/01/pathogenesis-transmission-and-detection.html
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
USDA National Scrapie Program History and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Update 2025
https://bovineprp.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-national-scrapie-program-history.html
https://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-national-scrapie-program-history.html
Cattle with the E211K polymorphism, and gCJD linked to a glutamic acid to lysine substitution at codon 200 (E200K) of PRNP, what if?
https://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2026/01/cattle-with-e211k-polymorphism-and-gcjd.html
Cattle with the E211K vs Humans E200K of PRNP, what if?
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/195/cattle-e211k-humans-e200k-prnp
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2026
***> Neuropsychiatric symptoms in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a review
https://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2026/01/neuropsychiatric-symptoms-in-sporadic.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
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2025
While no one was watching: Tenuous status of CDC prion unit, risk of CWD to people worry scientists
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/11/while-no-one-was-watching-tenuous.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/191/neuropsychiatric-symptoms-sporadic-cjd-review
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
Singeltary Alzheimer’s 2001
CJD or Alzheimer's or the same ???
To: BSE-L@uni-karlsruhe.de
I have always wondered if CJD and or all TSEs and Alzheimer's could be linked. i have been of the opinion that Alzheimer's is a TSE for a long time, just at the low end of the titre of infectivity…end
Alzheimer's disease 2014
let's not forget the elephant in the room. curing Alzheimer's would be a great and wonderful thing, but for starters, why not start with the obvious, lets prove the cause or causes, and then start to stop that. think iatrogenic, friendly fire, or the pass it forward mode of transmission. think medical, surgical, dental, tissue, blood, related transmission. think transmissible spongiform encephalopathy aka tse prion disease aka mad cow type disease...
Commentary: Evidence for human transmission of amyloid-β pathology and cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Alzheimer’s disease and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy prion disease, Iatrogenic, what if ?
Posted by flounder on 05 Nov 2014 at 21:27 GMT
Alzheimer’s disease and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy prion disease, Iatrogenic, what if ?
Posted by flounder on 05 Nov 2014 at 21:27 GMT
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/comment?id=10.1371/annotation/933cc83a-a384-45c3-b3b2-336882c30f9d
https://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2023/09/professor-john-collinge-on-tackling.html
iatrogenic Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (my greatest fear, friendly fire)
https://itseprion.blogspot.com/2023/
terry
