Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Minnesota DNR slaps temporary ban on movement of farmed deer in Minnesota due to CWD TSE Prion

News Release 

December 23, 2019 

DNR to protect Minnesota wild deer through temporary ban on movement of farmed deer in Minnesota December 23, 2019 

Agency takes emergency action in response to discovery of chronic wasting disease in farmed deer in Douglas County

The Department of Natural Resources today issued an emergency rule that temporarily prohibits the movement of all farmed white-tailed deer within the state.

The rule, which goes into effect today, is a temporary, emergency action to reduce further spread of chronic wasting disease and protect Minnesota’s wild deer. The action is in response to the recent discovery of CWD in a farmed white-tailed deer in Douglas County in western Minnesota. The emergency rule is in effect for 30 days.

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health earlier this month confirmed an 8-year-old white-tailed doe tested positive for the fatal deer disease in a small, two-deer hobbyist herd.

The new discovery in Douglas County has connections to other Minnesota deer farms and the state needs time to investigate locations that either provided deer to, or received deer from, the hobby farm.

“We don’t take this action lightly,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “The DNR is committed to proactively addressing CWD and doing everything we can do to protect Minnesota’s deer herd. The Douglas County positive, with its connections to other farms in the state, poses a risk to wild deer that requires emergency action."

The temporary prohibition on all movement of farmed white-tailed deer in Minnesota would help control and contain the current spread of CWD, while allowing the state time to evaluate the outbreak, generate potential solutions to containing and eliminating the disease, and protect the wild deer herd. The DNR is working closely with BAH on investigating the Douglas County discovery and tracing the farm’s connections to other locations in the state.

The DNR is already monitoring for CWD in disease management zones in southeastern and north-central Minnesota where the disease has been detected in both captive and wild deer, as well as in a CWD surveillance area in central Minnesota where it has been found in captive deer.

Prions, the infectious agent causing the disease, are found in urine, saliva, blood, feces, muscle and antler velvet of infected deer. Disease transmission can occur via direct animal-to-animal contact.

Since CWD was first detected in Minnesota in 2002, the DNR has tested more than 90,000 wild deer in the state. To date, 73 wild deer have been confirmed positive for CWD in Minnesota. Test results, including locations of confirmed positive test results and statistics, are available on the DNR website at mndnr.gov/cwdcheck. 


TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019 

Minnesota MBAH confirms an 8-year-old white-tailed doe tested positive for CWD from hobbyist herd in Douglas County


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2019 

Minnesota Officials Burn, Bury, Worry As Chronic Wasting Spreads 


MONDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2019 

Legislators legislating, or throwing away your money for battling cwd tse prion, State Rep. Steve Green, R-Fosston more money to deer farms for antibiotics?


snip...see history Minnesota cwd tse prion at bottom...terry

***> Minnesota DNR slaps temporary ban on movement of farmed deer in Minnesota due to CWD TSE Prion

bold move, but should be permanently imo...terry
Texas TAHC, Administrative Code, Title 4, Part 2, Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease Amendments Open For Comment beginning December 20, 2019 thru January 20, 2020 Terry Singeltary Comments Submission

Greetings TAHC et al,

Thank You Kindly for letting me comment again on cwd tse prion.

My comments 1-8 with updated science in references to back all my concerns up with...

1. ALL CWD TSE PRION RULES MUST BE MADE MANDATORY, voluntary does not work.

2. TAHC MUST BAN THE MOVEMENT OF ALL CERVID BY GAME FARMS, BREEDERS, SPERM MILLS, URINE MILLS, HORN MILLS, VELVET MILLS, HIGH/LOW FENCE, WITH ALL VEHICLES AND FARM EQUIPMENT BEING LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE SITES.

3. ALL CAPTIVE FARMING PUT ON HOLD WITH NO MORE PERMITTED

4. ALL CAPTIVE FARMING CERVID MUST BE TESTED ANNUALLY LIVE AND DEAD AND VERIFIED, THAT OLD BSe of ''just another escapee' does not cut it anymore, see why here;

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016

Wisconsin Two deer that escaped farm had chronic wasting disease CWD

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2016/02/wisconsin-two-deer-that-escaped-farm.html

436 Deer Have Escaped From Farms to Wild

Tuesday, 18 March 2003 00:00

As the DNR prepared to hand over authority for overseeing game farms to the agriculture department, it sent 209 conservation wardens to 550 farms to collect information, attempt to pinpoint the source of the disease and to learn whether other deer had been exposed to it. The audit found that most farms were in compliance, but the DNR found many violations and instances of poor record keeping. Also in numerous instances, fences did not stop wild and captive deer from intermingling. see;

436 Deer Have Escaped From Farms to Wild

Tuesday, 18 March 2003 00:00

http://cwd-info.org/436-deer-have-escaped-from-farms-to-wild/

TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

TWO Escaped Captive Deer on the loose in Eau Claire County Wisconsin CWD postive farm Yellow ear tag

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2015/07/two-escaped-captive-deer-on-loose-in.html

5. ALL CAPTIVE FARMING CERVID ON ANY FARM MUST BE KILLED AND INCINERATED, COMPLETE ERADICATION OF ANY CWD POSITIVE HERD

6. ALL CAPTIVE FARMING CERVID OPERATIONS MUST BE INSURED TO PAY FOR ANY CLEAN UP OF CWD AND QUARANTINE THERE FROM FOR THE STATE, NO MORE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM FOR CERVID GAME FARMING PAY TO PLAY FOR CWD TSE PRION OFF THE TAX PAYERS BACK, QUARANTINE MUST BE FOR AT LEAST 16 YEARS WITH NO MOVEMENT IN OR OUT OF THAT PREMISES

7. TRUCKING TRANSPORTING CERVID CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE TSE PRION VIOLATING THE LACEY ACT

***> PLEASE SEE HISTORY OF TEXAS TRUCKING CWD TSE PRION DISEASE AT THE BOTTOM OF MY SUBMISSION, TOO LONG TO POST HERE.

8.CONSIDERING RECENT SCIENCE THAT CWD TSE PRION WILL TRANSMIT ORALLY TO PIGS AND ALSO SCRAPIE TO PIGS BY ORAL ROUTES, CONSIDERING CWD TRANSMIT EASILY TO CERVID BY ORAL ROUTE, CONSIDERING A NEW TSE PRION OUTBREAK IN A NEW LIVESTOCK SPECIES, THE CAMEL, CONSIDERING THE FACT THE USA THAT THE 1997 BSE feed regulation at 589.2000, which remains in effect but which applies only to feed for cattle and other ruminants, and specifically, the new section 589.2001, WAS AND STILL IS A TOTAL AND COLOSSAL FAILURE, AND PROVEN TO BE SO BY RECENT COMMENTS COMING FROM THE FDA, BUT FIRST, COMMENTS FROM DEFRA;

In the USA, under the Food and Drug Administration's BSE Feed Regulation (21 CFR 589.2000) most material (exceptions include milk, tallow, and gelatin) from deer and elk is prohibited for use in feed for ruminant animals. With regards to feed for non-ruminant animals, under FDA law, CWD positive deer may not be used for any animal feed or feed ingredients. For elk and deer considered at high risk for CWD, the FDA recommends that these animals do not enter the animal feed system. However, this recommendation is guidance and not a requirement by law.

Animals considered at high risk for CWD include:

1) animals from areas declared to be endemic for CWD and/or to be CWD eradication zones and

2) deer and elk that at some time during the 60-month period prior to slaughter were in a captive herd that contained a CWD-positive animal.

Therefore, in the USA, materials from cervids other than CWD positive animals may be used in animal feed and feed ingredients for non-ruminants.

The amount of animal PAP that is of deer and/or elk origin imported from the USA to GB can not be determined, however, as it is not specified in TRACES. It may constitute a small percentage of the 8412 kilos of non-fish origin processed animal proteins that were imported from US into GB in 2011.

Overall, therefore, it is considered there is a __greater than negligible risk___ that (nonruminant) animal feed and pet food containing deer and/or elk protein is imported into GB.

There is uncertainty associated with this estimate given the lack of data on the amount of deer and/or elk protein possibly being imported in these products.

snip.....


FDA Reports on VFD Compliance 

John Maday 

August 30, 2019 09:46 AM VFD-Form 007 (640x427) 

Before and after the current Veterinary Feed Directive rules took full effect in January, 2017, the FDA focused primarily on education and outreach. ( John Maday ) Before and after the current Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rules took full effect in January, 2017, the FDA focused primarily on education and outreach to help feed mills, veterinarians and producers understand and comply with the requirements. Since then, FDA has gradually increased the number of VFD inspections and initiated enforcement actions when necessary. On August 29, FDA released its first report on inspection and compliance activities. The report, titled “Summary Assessment of Veterinary Feed Directive Compliance Activities Conducted in Fiscal Years 2016 – 2018,” is available online.


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2019 

***> FDA Reports on VFD Compliance 


TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017 

*** EXTREME USA FDA PART 589 TSE PRION FEED LOOP HOLE STILL EXIST, AND PRICE OF POKER GOES UP *** 


http://camelusprp.blogspot.com/2018/04/dromedary-camels-algeria-prion-mad.html

I STRENUOUSLY URGE TEXAS FDA MODIFY THESE FEED BANS ASAP!

SEE;

Docket No. APHIS-2018-0011 Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program Standards Singeltary

View Attachment:View as format pdf

https://www.regulations.gov/contentStreamer?documentId=APHIS-2018-0011-0003&attachmentNumber=1&contentType=pdf

https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS-2018-0011-0003

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2018/03/docket-no-aphis-2018-0011-chronic.html

 SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2019

Texas Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Symposium 2018 posted January 2019 VIDEO SET 18 CLIPS


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019

TEXAS Val Verde County White-tailed Deer Tests Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion State Positive NOW at 147 Confirmed


FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019 

TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ORDER DECLARING A CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE HIGH RISK AREA CONTAINMENT ZONE FOR PORTIONS OF VAL VERDE COUNTY








if now is not the time to panic, after ignoring cwd for a decade, when should we panic ?

the tse prion aka mad cow type disease is not your normal pathogen.

The TSE prion disease survives ashing to 600 degrees celsius, that’s around 1112 degrees farenheit.

you cannot cook the TSE prion disease out of meat.

you can take the ash and mix it with saline and inject that ash into a mouse, and the mouse will go down with TSE.

Prion Infected Meat-and-Bone Meal Is Still Infectious after Biodiesel Production as well.

the TSE prion agent also survives Simulated Wastewater Treatment Processes.

IN fact, you should also know that the TSE Prion agent will survive in the environment for years, if not decades.

you can bury it and it will not go away.

The TSE agent is capable of infected your water table i.e. Detection of protease-resistant cervid prion protein in water from a CWD-endemic area.

it’s not your ordinary pathogen you can just cook it out and be done with. that’s what’s so worrisome about Iatrogenic mode of transmission, a simple autoclave will not kill this TSE prion agent.

snip...see full text submission;

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019

Texas TAHC, Administrative Code, Title 4, Part 2, Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease Amendments Open For Comment beginning December 20, 2019 thru January 20, 2020 Terry Singeltary Comments Submission


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019

TSE surveillance statistics exotic species and domestic cats Update December 2019


Here is the latest on the cwd tse prion...terry

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2019 

***> EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) Update on chronic wasting disease (CWD) III


CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE PRION TRANSMITS TO PIGS BY ORAL ROUTES!!!

cwd scrapie pigs oral routes

***> However, at 51 months of incubation or greater, 5 animals were positive by one or more diagnostic methods. Furthermore, positive bioassay results were obtained from all inoculated groups (oral and intracranial; market weight and end of study) suggesting that swine are potential hosts for the agent of scrapie. <*** 

 >*** Although the current U.S. feed ban is based on keeping tissues from TSE infected cattle from contaminating animal feed, swine rations in the U.S. could contain animal derived components including materials from scrapie infected sheep and goats. These results indicating the susceptibility of pigs to sheep scrapie, coupled with the limitations of the current feed ban, indicates that a revision of the feed ban may be necessary to protect swine production and potentially human health. <*** 

***> Results: PrPSc was not detected by EIA and IHC in any RPLNs. All tonsils and MLNs were negative by IHC, though the MLN from one pig in the oral <6 5="" 6="" at="" by="" detected="" eia.="" examined="" group="" in="" intracranial="" least="" lymphoid="" month="" months="" of="" one="" pigs="" positive="" prpsc="" quic="" the="" tissues="" was="">6 months group, 5/6 pigs in the oral <6 4="" and="" group="" months="" oral="">6 months group. Overall, the MLN was positive in 14/19 (74%) of samples examined, the RPLN in 8/18 (44%), and the tonsil in 10/25 (40%). 

***> Conclusions: This study demonstrates that PrPSc accumulates in lymphoid tissues from pigs challenged intracranially or orally with the CWD agent, and can be detected as early as 4 months after challenge. CWD-infected pigs rarely develop clinical disease and if they do, they do so after a long incubation period. 

This raises the possibility that CWD-infected pigs could shed prions into their environment long before they develop clinical disease. 

Furthermore, lymphoid tissues from CWD-infected pigs could present a potential source of CWD infectivity in the animal and human food chains. 




***> Subject: Scrapie Transmits To Pigs By Oral Route, what about the terribly flawed USA tse prion feed ban? <***

Research Project: Pathobiology, Genetics, and Detection of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies 2017 Annual Report

1a. Objectives (from AD-416): 
Objective 1: Investigate the mechanisms of protein misfolding in prion disease, including the genetic determinants of misfolding of the prion protein and the environmental influences on protein misfolding as it relates to prion diseases. Subobjective 1.A: Investigate the differences in the unfolded state of wild-type and disease associated prion proteins to better understand the mechanism of misfolding in genetic prion disease. Subobjective 1.B: Investigate the influence of metal ions on the misfolding of the prion protein in vitro to determine if environmental exposure to metal ions may alter disease progression. Objective 2: Investigate the pathobiology of prion strains in natural hosts, including the influence of prion source genotype on interspecies transmission and the pathobiology of atypical transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Subobjective 2.A: Investigate the pathobiology of atypical TSEs. Subobjective 2.B: Investigate the influence of prion source genotype on interspecies transmission. Objective 3: Investigate sampling methodologies for antemortem detection of prion disease, including the utility of blood sampling as a means to assess prion disease status of affected animals and the utility of environmental sampling for monitoring herd prion disease status. Subobjective 3.A: Investigate the utility of blood sampling as a means to assess prion disease status of affected animals. Subobjective 3.B: Investigate the utility of environmental sampling for monitoring herd prion disease status.
1b. Approach (from AD-416): 

The studies will focus on three animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agents found in the United States: bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE); scrapie of sheep and goats; and chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer, elk, and moose. The research will address sites of protein folding and misfolding as it relates to prion disease, accumulation of misfolded protein in the host, routes of infection, and ante mortem diagnostics with an emphasis on controlled conditions and natural routes of infection. Techniques used will include spectroscopic monitoring of protein folding/misfolding, clinical exams, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and biochemical analysis of proteins. The enhanced knowledge gained from this work will help understand the underlying mechanisms of prion disease and mitigate the potential for unrecognized epidemic expansions of these diseases in populations of animals that could either directly or indirectly affect food animals.

3. Progress Report: 

All 8 project plan milestones for FY17 were fully met. Research efforts directed toward meeting objective 1 of our project plan center around the production of recombinant prion protein from either bacteria or mammalian tissue culture systems and collection of thermodynamic data on the folding of the recombinant prion protein produced. Both bacterial and mammalian expression systems have been established. Thermodynamic data addressing the denatured state of wild-type and a disease associated variant of bovine prion protein has been collected and a manuscript is in preparation. In research pertaining to objective 2, all studies have been initiated and animals are under observation for the development of clinical signs. The animal studies for this objective are long term and will continue until onset of clinical signs. In vitro studies planned in parallel to the animals studies have similarly been initiated and are ongoing. Objective 3 of the project plan focuses on the detection of disease associated prion protein in body fluids and feces collected from a time course study of chronic wasting disease inoculated animals. At this time samples are being collected as planned and methods for analysis are under development.

4. Accomplishments 

1. Showed that swine are potential hosts for the scrapie agent. A naturally occurring prion disease has not been recognized in swine, but the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy does transmit to swine by experimental routes. Swine are thought to have a robust species barrier when exposed to the naturally occurring prion diseases of other species, but the susceptibility of swine to the agent of sheep scrapie has not been thoroughly tested. ARS researchers at Ames, Iowa conducted this experiment to test the susceptibility of swine to U.S. scrapie isolates by intracranial and oral inoculation. Necropsies were done on a subset of animals at approximately 6 months post inoculation (PI): the time the pigs were expected to reach market weight. Remaining pigs were maintained and monitored for clinical signs of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) until study termination at 80 months PI or when removed due to intercurrent disease. Brain samples were examined by multiple diagnostic approaches, and for a subset of pigs in each inoculation group, bioassay in mice expressing porcine prion protein. At 6 months PI, no evidence of scrapie infection was noted by any diagnostic method. However, at 51 months of incubation or greater, 5 animals were positive by one or more diagnostic methods. Furthermore, positive bioassay results were obtained from all inoculated groups (oral and intracranial; market weight and end of study) suggesting that swine are potential hosts for the agent of scrapie. Although the current U.S. feed ban is based on keeping tissues from TSE infected cattle from contaminating animal feed, swine rations in the U.S. could contain animal derived components including materials from scrapie infected sheep and goats. These results indicating the susceptibility of pigs to sheep scrapie, coupled with the limitations of the current feed ban, indicates that a revision of the feed ban may be necessary to protect swine production and potentially human health.

2. Determined that pigs naturally exposed to chronic wasting disease (CWD) may act as a reservoir of CWD infectivity. Chronic wasting disease is a naturally occurring, fatal, neurodegenerative disease of cervids. The potential for swine to serve as a host for the agent of CWD disease is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of swine to the CWD agent following experimental oral or intracranial inoculation. Pigs were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: intracranially inoculated; orally inoculated; or non-inoculated. At market weight age, half of the pigs in each group were tested ('market weight' groups). The remaining pigs ('aged' groups) were allowed to incubate for up to 73 months post inoculation (MPI). Tissues collected at necropsy were examined for disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) by multiple diagnostic methods. Brain samples from selected pigs were bioassayed in mice expressing porcine prion protein. Some pigs from each inoculated group were positive by one or more tests. Bioassay was positive in 4 out of 5 pigs assayed. Although only small amounts of PrPSc were detected using sensitive methods, this study demonstrates that pigs can serve as hosts for CWD. Detection of infectivity in orally inoculated pigs using mouse bioassay raises the possibility that naturally exposed pigs could act as a reservoir of CWD infectivity. Currently, swine rations in the U.S. could contain animal derived components including materials from deer or elk. In addition, feral swine could be exposed to infected carcasses in areas where CWD is present in wildlife populations. The current feed ban in the U.S. is based exclusively on keeping tissues from TSE infected cattle from entering animal feeds. These results indicating the susceptibility of pigs to CWD, coupled with the limitations of the current feed ban, indicates that a revision of the feed ban may be necessary to protect swine production and potentially human health.

3. Developed a method for amplification and discrimination of the 3 forms of BSE in cattle. The prion protein (PrP) is a protein that is the causative agent of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). The disease process involves conversion of the normal cellular PrP to a pathogenic misfolded conformation. This conversion process can be recreated in the lab using a misfolding amplification process known as real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC). RT-QuIC allows the detection of minute amounts of the abnormal infectious form of the prion protein by inducing misfolding in a supplied substrate. Although RT-QuIC has been successfully used to detect pathogenic PrP with substrates from a variety of host species, prior to this work bovine prion protein had not been proven for its practical uses for RT-QuIC. We demonstrated that prions from transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) and BSE-infected cattle can be detected with using bovine prion proteins with RT-QuIC, and developed an RT-QuIC based approach to discriminate different forms of BSE. This rapid and robust method, both to detect and discriminate BSE types, is of importance as the economic implications for different types of BSE vary greatly.

Review Publications 
Moore, S., Kunkle, R., Greenlee, M., Nicholson, E., Richt, J., Hamir, A., Waters, W., Greenlee, J. 2016. Horizontal transmission of chronic wasting disease in reindeer. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 22(12):2142-2145. doi:10.3201/eid2212.160635.
Moore, S.J., West Greenlee, M.H., Smith, J.D., Vrentas, C.E., Nicholson, E.M., Greenlee, J.J. 2016. A comparison of classical and H-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy associated with E211K prion protein polymorphism in wild type and EK211 cattle following intracranial inoculation. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 3:78.
Greenlee, J.J., Kunkle, R.A., Smith, J.D., West Greenlee, M.H. 2016. Scrapie in swine: a diagnostic challenge. Food Safety. 4(4):110-114.
Kondru, N., Manne, S., Greenlee, J., West Greenlee, H., Anantharam, V., Halbur, P., Kanthasamy, A., Kanthasamy, A. 2017. Integrated organotypic slice cultures and RT-QuIC (OSCAR) assay: implications for translational discovery in protein misfolding diseases. Scientific Reports. 7:43155. doi:10.1038/srep43155.
Mammadova, N., Ghaisas, S., Zenitsky, G., Sakaguchi, D.S., Kanthasamy, A.G., Greenlee, J.J., West Greenlee, M.H. 2017. Lasting retinal injury in a mouse model of blast-induced trauma. American Journal of Pathology. 187(7):1459-1472. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2017.03.005.


FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 

*** Scrapie Transmits To Pigs By Oral Route, what about the terribly flawed USA tse prion feed ban? 

Research Project: Pathobiology, Genetics, and Detection of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies


CDC

New Outbreak of TSE Prion in NEW LIVESTOCK SPECIES

Mad Camel Disease

Volume 24, Number 6—June 2018 Research 

Prion Disease in Dromedary Camels, Algeria Abstract

Prions cause fatal and transmissible neurodegenerative diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, scrapie in small ruminants, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). After the BSE epidemic, and the associated human infections, began in 1996 in the United Kingdom, general concerns have been raised about animal prions. We detected a prion disease in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Algeria. Symptoms suggesting prion disease occurred in 3.1% of dromedaries brought for slaughter to the Ouargla abattoir in 2015–2016. We confirmed diagnosis by detecting pathognomonic neurodegeneration and disease-specific prion protein (PrPSc) in brain tissues from 3 symptomatic animals. Prion detection in lymphoid tissues is suggestive of the infectious nature of the disease. PrPSc biochemical characterization showed differences with BSE and scrapie. Our identification of this prion disease in a geographically widespread livestock species requires urgent enforcement of surveillance and assessment of the potential risks to human and animal health.

SNIP...

The possibility that dromedaries acquired the disease from eating prion-contaminated waste needs to be considered.

Tracing the origin of prion diseases is challenging. In the case of CPD, the traditional extensive and nomadic herding practices of dromedaries represent a formidable factor for accelerating the spread of the disease at long distances, making the path of its diffusion difficult to determine. Finally, the major import flows of live animals to Algeria from Niger, Mali, and Mauritania (27) should be investigated to trace the possible origin of CPD from other countries. Camels are a vital animal species for millions of persons globally. The world camel population has a yearly growth rate of 2.1% (28). In 2014, the population was estimated at ≈28 million animals, but this number is probably underestimated.. Approximately 88% of camels are found in Africa, especially eastern Africa, and 12% are found in Asia. Official data reported 350,000 dromedaries in Algeria in 2014 (28).

On the basis of phenotypic traits and sociogeographic criteria, several dromedary populations have been suggested to exist in Algeria (29). However, recent genetic studies in Algeria and Egypt point to a weak differentiation of the dromedary population as a consequence of historical use as a cross-continental beast of burden along trans-Saharan caravan routes, coupled with traditional extensive/nomadic herding practices (30).

Such genetic homogeneity also might be reflected in PRNP. Studies on PRNP variability in camels are therefore warranted to explore the existence of genotypes resistant to CPD, which could represent an important tool for CPD management as it was for breeding programs for scrapie eradication in sheep. In the past 10 years, the camel farming system has changed rapidly, with increasing setup of periurban dairy farms and dairy plants and diversification of camel products and market penetration (13). This evolution requires improved health standards for infectious diseases and, in light of CPD, for prion diseases.

The emergence of another prion disease in an animal species of crucial importance for millions of persons worldwide makes it necessary to assess the risk for humans and develop evidence-based policies to control and limit the spread of the disease in animals and minimize human exposure. The implementation of a surveillance system for prion diseases would be a first step to enable disease control and minimize human and animal exposure. Finally, the diagnostic capacity of prion diseases needs to be improved in all countries in Africa where dromedaries are part of the domestic livestock. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/24/6/17-2007_article ;

***> IMPORTS AND EXPORTS <***

***SEE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF BANNED ANIMAL PROTEIN AKA MAD COW FEED IN COMMERCE USA DECADES AFTER POST BAN ***


Friday, December 14, 2012

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

snip.....

In the USA, under the Food and Drug Administration's BSE Feed Regulation (21 CFR 589.2000) most material (exceptions include milk, tallow, and gelatin) from deer and elk is prohibited for use in feed for ruminant animals. With regards to feed for non-ruminant animals, under FDA law, CWD positive deer may not be used for any animal feed or feed ingredients. For elk and deer considered at high risk for CWD, the FDA recommends that these animals do not enter the animal feed system. However, this recommendation is guidance and not a requirement by law.

Animals considered at high risk for CWD include:

1) animals from areas declared to be endemic for CWD and/or to be CWD eradication zones and

2) deer and elk that at some time during the 60-month period prior to slaughter were in a captive herd that contained a CWD-positive animal.

Therefore, in the USA, materials from cervids other than CWD positive animals may be used in animal feed and feed ingredients for non-ruminants.

The amount of animal PAP that is of deer and/or elk origin imported from the USA to GB can not be determined, however, as it is not specified in TRACES. It may constitute a small percentage of the 8412 kilos of non-fish origin processed animal proteins that were imported from US into GB in 2011.

Overall, therefore, it is considered there is a __greater than negligible risk___ that (nonruminant) animal feed and pet food containing deer and/or elk protein is imported into GB.

There is uncertainty associated with this estimate given the lack of data on the amount of deer and/or elk protein possibly being imported in these products.

snip.....

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

The clinical signs of CWD in affected adults are weight loss and behavioural changes that can span weeks or months (Williams, 2005). In addition, signs might include excessive salivation, behavioural alterations including a fixed stare and changes in interaction with other animals in the herd, and an altered stance (Williams, 2005). These signs are indistinguishable from cervids experimentally infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Given this, if CWD was to be introduced into countries with BSE such as GB, for example, infected deer populations would need to be tested to differentiate if they were infected with CWD or BSE to minimise the risk of BSE entering the human food-chain via affected venison.

snip.....

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

snip.....

In summary, in endemic areas, there is a medium probability that the soil and surrounding environment is contaminated with CWD prions and in a bioavailable form. In rural areas where CWD has not been reported and deer are present, there is a greater than negligible risk the soil is contaminated with CWD prion.

snip.....

In summary, given the volume of tourists, hunters and servicemen moving between GB and North America, the probability of at least one person travelling to/from a CWD affected area and, in doing so, contaminating their clothing, footwear and/or equipment prior to arriving in GB is greater than negligible... For deer hunters, specifically, the risk is likely to be greater given the increased contact with deer and their environment. However, there is significant uncertainty associated with these estimates.

snip.....

Therefore, it is considered that farmed and park deer may have a higher probability of exposure to CWD transferred to the environment than wild deer given the restricted habitat range and higher frequency of contact with tourists and returning GB residents.

snip.....


THE USA FDA MAD COW FEED BAN OF 1997 WAS NOTHING MORE THAN INK ON PAPER, NEVER ENFORCED...terry

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2019 

FDA Reports on VFD Compliance

Before and after the current Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rules took full effect in January, 2017, the FDA focused primarily on education and outreach to help feed mills, veterinarians and producers understand and comply with the requirements. Since then, FDA has gradually increased the number of VFD inspections and initiated enforcement actions when necessary.


WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019 

The agent of transmissible mink encephalopathy passaged in sheep is similar to BSE-L


TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2019 

Guidelines for reporting surveillance data on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) in the EU within the framework of Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 APPROVED: 9 July 2019


In summary, our results establish aerosols as a surprisingly efficient modality of prion transmission. This novel pathway of prion transmission is not only conceptually relevant for the field of prion research, but also highlights a hitherto unappreciated risk factor for laboratory personnel and personnel of the meat processing industry. In the light of these findings, it may be appropriate to revise current prion-related biosafety guidelines and health standards in diagnostic and scientific laboratories being potentially confronted with prion infected materials. While we did not investigate whether production of prion aerosols in nature suffices to cause horizontal prion transmission, the finding of prions in biological fluids such as saliva, urine and blood suggests that it may be worth testing this possibility in future studies.



Adriano Aguzzi ''We even showed that a prion AEROSOL will infect 100% of mice within 10 seconds of exposure''

WOW!...tss

THURSDAY, AUGUST 08, 2019 

Raccoons accumulate PrPSc after intracranial inoculation with the agents of chronic wasting disease (CWD) or transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) but not atypical scrapie


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019 

The emergence of classical BSE from atypical/Nor98 scrapie


MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion aka mad cow type disease in cervid Zoonosis Update

***> ''In particular the US data do not clearly exclude the possibility of human (sporadic or familial) TSE development due to consumption of venison. The Working Group thus recognizes a potential risk to consumers if a TSE would be present in European cervids.'' Scientific opinion on chronic wasting disease (II) <***

What if?


THURSDAY, JANUARY 03, 2019 

Minnesota CWD discovery in Houston County prompts additional late-season deer hunts


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2018 

Minnesota Wild deer identified as presumptive positive for CWD outside of disease management zone first in Houston County


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2018 

Minnesota DNR 11 New CWD TSE Prion Cases This Fall


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2018 

Minnesota CWD TSE Prion detected four harvested samples from farmed deer quarantined farm Crow Wing County


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2018 

Minnesota another deer tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease CWD making it the second confirmed positive this season


Board of Animal Health’s Oversight of Deer and Elk Farms 2018

EVALUATION REPORT

Program Evaluation Division Office of the Legislative Auditor State of Minnesota

snip...

Since 2002, CWD has been identified on eight Minnesota deer and elk farms and in wild deer in two Minnesota counties. (pp. 40-41) 

From 2014 to 2017, about one-third of producers that reported dead deer or elk failed to submit tissues from at least one of those animals for CWD testing. (p. 26) 

(this is called SSS Shoot Shovel, and Shut the Hell Up Program for Captive Game Farms, works very well for cattle, sheep, and cervid, and it works very well in the USA and Canada with mad cow disease, and proven to be so, just ask ex Alberta Premier Ralph Klein..tss)

 BAH and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have struggled to appropriately share the information they both require to respond to CWD outbreaks. (p. 47)  While Minnesota’s CWD regulations are among the most rigorous in the nation, there are some areas where other states’ policies better protect deer and elk against the disease. (pp. 49-50) 

Summary Key Facts and Findings: 

 The Board of Animal Health (BAH) is responsible for protecting the health of Minnesota’s domestic animals, including deer and elk. (p. 3) 

 The board has five members, but not one who represents the general public. (pp. 11, 12-13) 

 As of April 2018, Minnesota had 398 registered herds, consisting of about 9,300 deer, elk, and other similar species. (p. 4) 

 Minnesota law does not require that deer and elk identification tags be read and recorded when completing an animal inventory. (pp. 21-22) 

 Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an always fatal, neurodegenerative disease found in both farmed and wild deer and elk. (p. 6) 

 Since 2002, CWD has been identified on eight Minnesota deer and elk farms and in wild deer in two Minnesota counties. (pp. 40-41) 

 BAH staff do not systematically analyze whether deer and elk producers submit tissue samples for CWD testing for all deceased animals. (p. 25) 

 From 2014 to 2017, about one-third of producers that reported dead deer or elk failed to submit tissues from at least one of those animals for CWD testing. (p. 26) 

 BAH has, in some instances, failed to enforce deer and elk regulations. However, the board has improved its deer and elk program over the past several months. (pp. 30-34) 

 BAH and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have struggled to appropriately share the information they both require to respond to CWD outbreaks. (p. 47) 

 While Minnesota’s CWD regulations are among the most rigorous in the nation, there are some areas where other states’ policies better protect deer and elk against the disease. (pp. 49-50) 

Key Recommendations: 

 The Legislature should consider expanding the number of board members and adding at least one member of the general public. (p. 14) 

 BAH should clarify expectations of whether and how often producers must verify their herd inventory on an animal-by-animal basis. (pp. 23-24) 

 BAH should (1) systematically analyze CWD-testing compliance, and (2) appropriately penalize those producers who fail to submit CWD testing samples. (p. 27) 

 BAH should develop an approval program for deer and elk producers who wish to collect their own CWD test samples. (p. 30) 

 BAH should (1) ensure producers follow Minnesota deer and elk laws, (2) strengthen consequences for producers, and (3) monitor field staff performance. (p. 33) 

 BAH and DNR should draft a memorandum of understanding outlining each agencies’ responsibilities with respect to data sharing. (pp. 47-48) 

 The Legislature should convene an advisory task force to evaluate the state’s regulations related to deer feeding and live-animal imports. (p. 51)

snip...

Report Summary

Minnesota statutes charge the Board of Animal Health (BAH) with protecting the health of Minnesota’s domestic animals, including members of the family cervidae.1

 The cervidae family

includes deer, elk, and similar species, which may be collectively referred to as “cervids.” As of April 2018, Minnesota producers were raising more than 9,300 cervids in 398 registered herds.

Deer and elk health is threatened by chronic wasting disease (CWD), an always fatal, neurodegenerative disease found among wild and farmed cervids. CWD is difficult to manage because there is no live-animal diagnostic test approved for routine herd monitoring. Further, infected animals may not show clinical signs until the disease is quite advanced. The only way to definitively diagnose CWD is to analyze specific tissues from a dead deer or elk. CWD has been found on eight Minnesota deer and elk farms since 2002. It has also been detected in wild deer in two Minnesota counties.

BAH is smaller than other states’ animal health boards. The board is made up of three livestock producers and two veterinarians practicing in Minnesota. Members are appointed by the governor. BAH’s dayto-day work is performed by 41 staff members.

Minnesota’s structure for overseeing farmed deer and elk is unlike those in most other states. Only six states give the responsibility to an entity like BAH. In most states, farmed deer and elk oversight falls to a natural resources department, an agriculture department, or a combination of the two.

1 Minnesota Statutes 2017, 35.03. BAH is smaller than other state’s animal health boards, which range in size from 7 to 16 members. BAH is also smaller than other Minnesota boards that license, permit, or register professions or entities. While BAH’s composition (three livestock producers and two veterinarians) is similar to other states’ boards, BAH is unlike most Minnesota boards in that it lacks a public member. We recommend expanding the size of the board and adding a member of the general public, in order to diversify the perspectives represented.

The law does not require that deer and elk identification tags be read regularly, calling into question the accuracy of cervid farm inventories. Annual inventories are an important tool for BAH. In the event that CWD is detected on a deer or elk farm, BAH uses the inventories that producers submit to track animal locations and movements and determine which other farms to investigate for possible CWD exposure.

By law, producers must submit annually to the board inventories that are verified by an accredited veterinarian.2

However, the law does not require that the producers or their veterinarians physically read the tags on their deer and elk in order to complete these inventories. As such, the inventories producers submit may not accurately reflect the animals on the farm, which could complicate the investigation that BAH must conduct if CWD is discovered among farmed cervids.

We recommend that BAH clarify its expectations for how often deer and elk identification tags are read. For example, the United States Department of Agriculture requires that deer and elk producers who move animals to other

2 Minnesota Statutes 2017, 35.155, subd. 11(a)

states read and record identification tags once every three years. BAH does not systematically analyze whether producers submit CWD testing samples for all deer and elk that they report as deceased, and many do not.

Deer and elk producers are required by law to submit specific tissues for CWD testing for all deer and elk that die at age 12 months or older.3

 BAH staff do not currently analyze CWD-testing compliance, unless they have a specific reason to manually evaluate the records associated with a particular herd. We analyzed BAH data and found that an estimated one-third of deer and elk producers failed to submit tissue samples for CWD testing from 2014 to 2017. We recommend that BAH create a report that identifies producers that have missed CWD tests. Further, we recommend that BAH penalize producers who do not submit the required samples.

Another issue with respect to CWD sample submission is sample quality. If producers submit the wrong type of tissue or a sample that is otherwise unreadable, the deer or elk in question will not be tested for CWD. From 2014 to 2017, the percentage of unreadable samples increased from 2 percent to 11 percent. In 2017, BAH began retraining producers who had submitted poor-quality samples. As a result, sample quality began to improve during the latter half of 2017. We recommend that BAH develop a standardized training and approval program for deer and elk producers who wish to collect their own CWD test samples.

3 Minnesota Rules, 1721.0420, subp. 1(D), published electronically April 4, 2013. Producers must submit part of the brainstem and lymph nodes from the head of a dead deer or elk. While BAH has had some issues enforcing cervid regulations in the past, its deer and elk program has improved over the past several months.

It was recently reported that a Winona County cervid farm that tested positive for CWD also had fences in poor repair.4

 Despite the fact that the fences (by the owner’s own admission) had been sagging for years, BAH had never mentioned fence issues on the farm’s annual inspection reports.

We do not know the degree to which this type of apparent enforcement error has occurred, and this lapse in oversight is concerning. However, the new director of the deer and elk program has made numerous changes over the past several months that will hopefully improve BAH’s enforcement of deer and elk regulations going forward.

Recent BAH changes include improved communication, through the development of a cervid-farming handbook and a CWD-testing guide. The new director has also placed a renewed emphasis on enforcement, putting in place the expectation that the field staff inspecting cervid farms give warnings and reinspect farms when they note violations. We recommend that the board fully enforce Minnesota cervid laws and that they consider strengthening the penalties for producers who fail to comply. Further, the board should monitor the performance of field staff conducting inspections.

The strained relationship between BAH and DNR has led to problems with data sharing.

BAH responds when CWD is detected on deer or elk farms; DNR leads the

4

 Tony Kennedy, “‘Hunters should be…afraid,’” Star Tribune, March 7, 2018. 

response when the disease is found in the wild. Both agencies, however, take certain actions when CWD is detected in the other agency’s jurisdiction, which means that the two must coordinate to a certain extent.

In order to respond to CWD outbreaks, each agency, at a minimum, must know the precise location where the infected animal was found. The tension between the two agencies, however, has resulted in poor communication and complaints from both sides with respect to sharing information.

DNR staff have complained that BAH refuses to share information about infected farms in a timely fashion. BAH staff allege that DNR has not adequately protected producer contact information, which is classified by law as not public data.5

 We recommend that the two agencies draft a memorandum of understanding making clear what information should be shared between agencies in the event of CWD outbreak, in what timeframe, and the measures the receiving agency should take to protect the data. BAH and DNR finalized an agreement on April 10, 2018, which focuses on protecting not public data. We think this is a good first step. There are some states with policies for managing farmed deer and elk that may better protect their animals from CWD.

We compared several of Minnesota’s cervid regulations to those from other U.S. states. We found that some Minnesota policies—such as its statewide deer-baiting ban, wholecarcass importation ban, and mandatory CWD testing of farmed cervids—are among the most rigorous in the nation.

5 Minnesota Statutes 2017, 13.643, subd. 6.

In other areas, however, Minnesota policies were less rigorous than those of other states. Deer feeding encourages animals to congregate artificially, facilitating disease transmission. Minnesota currently allows deer feeding, unless DNR has banned feeding in a particular area as part of its CWD response. Thirty-two percent of states also ban deer feeding only in certain parts of the state, but 18 percent of states ban deer feeding statewide.

The movement of live deer and elk from one place to another may facilitate the spread of CWD if one of the animals being moved happens to be infected. Minnesota bans live-cervid imports from counties in other states where CWD has been found in the wild. Half the states, however, have stricter standards for live-cervid imports.

Forty percent of states do not allow the importation of any live deer or elk. An additional 10 percent of states ban imports from entire states in which CWD has been detected.

We recommend that the Legislature establish an advisory task force to evaluate Minnesota’s policies related to deer feeding and live-cervid imports. 

Exhibit 3.2: Since 2002, Minnesota has had eleven chronic wasting disease events. 

see chart below;

snip...see full text 76 pages;


captive game farms and 100% testing...LOL!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2018 

Minnesota Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Captive Cervid Farming SSS testing policy


SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2018 

MINNESOTA STATE AUDITORS Board of Animal Health has failed to enforce some laws relating to deer and elk farms A CWD TSE PRION GLOBAL UPDATE


THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018 

Minnesota DNR's 10-year CWD TSE Prion deer plan?


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

Todd Robbins-Miller President of Minnesota Deer Farmers Association is oblivious to Chronic Wasting CWD TSE PRION DISEASE risk factors


WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2017 

Minnesota Chronic Wasting Disease discovered in Winona County farm


SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 

Minnesota Fearing spread of CWD, agency pushing animal health board to suspend farmer's license


THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017 

Minnesota Four more farmed white-tailed deer test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion


FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

Minnesota Chronic Wasting Disease investigation traces exposure to Meeker County farm


Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Minnesota DNR CWD found in 2 more deer; 5-county feeding ban now in place


Friday, August 05, 2016 

MINNESOTA CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND TESTING CWD TSE PRION UPDATE 


Terry S. Singeltary Sr., Bacliff, Texas USA 77518 flounder9@verizon.net Galveston Bay...on the bottom

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