Chronic+Wasting+Disease

== ==  Chronic Wasting  Disease = = = =

=History of CWD = Ever since CWD was first diagnosed, it has grown by the thousands of infected animals and it has also covered a very large amount of land too! Scientists are working very hard to correctly figure out the problem and create a cure for it. As of now, we don’t know how it is spread and how to stop it from spreading to other animals, either local or across the world. CWD was first diagnosed im the Colorado Division of Wildlife Foothills Wildlife Research Facility in Fort Collins, Colorado, A Mule deer was kept captive where they first discovered CWD and they identified it as a clinical disease. This happened in 1967, and then shortly after it was classified as a TSE in 1978. (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopath) TSE includes scrapie in sheep and goats, Mad Cow disease in cattle, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Shortly after that, if was detected in a wild elk in 1981 and in a wild mule deer in 1985. Now scientists have concluded that they believe CWD is caused by abnormal protein called a prion. Over time, the abnormal prion causes normal prions to change to abnormal. Over time, these abnormal prions eats away at the brain tissue of the animal causing the tissue to look like a piece of Swiss cheese under the microscope. Today in Wisconsin, Chronic wasting disease is beleived to be the most significant health issue to affect Wisconsin’s wildlife in anyone's memory. This is in not only in Wisconsin but many other states and countries that are home to some of the deer and elk population. This disease will continue to be a problem because we have no cure and know little about how to treat or cure it along with how it spreads and how it works. Hopefully scientists will find out more about Chronic Wasting Disorder before it is too late!

=Movement/How it is Transmitted = Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is commonly found in elk and deer. The minimal incubation of the disease is found to be approximately to be 16 months.

The transmission of CWD is thought to be through contaminated feed, water, feces, saliva and urine. It could be through maternal transmission it is more likely that it is transmitted through direct contact. Some people believe that Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease is caused by eating venison that was contaminated with CWD. Scientists did not find any links between CJD and CWD.

= = =Symptoms of Disease/Where it is Found = == Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a brutal disease that attacks the brain of elk, deer and others of that family. Once it reaches the brain, the virus eats away at the tissue causing holes to form in the brain. This is called Spongiform. Besides the internal affect on the animal’s body, it is easy to tell if an animal has the disease because of the symptom on the outside of the body. An animal with the virus will look emaciated (weak and sickly). It will also stagger and walk in repetitive courses. While standing, an infected animal might spread its feet far apart. Also, it will produce a large amount of saliva and urinate often. The disease will cause the animal to be very thirsty so it may drink a lot of water. Lastly, in the later stages of the Chronic Wasting Disease, EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease) might be diagnosed. Chronic Wasting Disease can be found mainly in the US and Canada. Some places that the disease has been discovered are: Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Montana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, New York, Maryland, Illinois and Virginia. CWD has also been found in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Large amounts of animals that have been affected are in the West of the USA.



= = =Cure of Disease = There is currently no cure for CWD (chronic wasting disease) but it is not very common in humans really at all. It is mainly an animal bound disease. You can however prevent this disease, the deer meat you harvest should be checked for CWD and if it does you should get rid of the meat in some way. .Also when gutting the deer you should wear gloves and try to not handle the brain or spinal cord.The legislators of Wisconsin passed the SB-1 in the “special season” in May of 2002. This bill effectively shuts down the imports of deer and elk into Wisconsin. It also requires strict monitoring of any herd if the herd owner wants to move live animals within the sate. Along with that, it requires CWD testing of all animals 16 months or older that die or are slaughtered from monitored herds, and of animals from non-monitored herds if any part of their carcass leaves the farm. Also calls for the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to quarantine a herd wherein a captive deer or elk tests positive for CWD, and decide to whether to condemn the herd based on epidemiological investigation.

=Links to find out more about CWD= [|Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance] [|Minnesota Deer Hunters Assosciation] [|Wikipedia: Chronic Wasting Disease] [|Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine] [|United States of Agraculture: Animal and Plant Pertection]

=Resources:= -Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. "Chronic Wasting Disease, Prevention." //Centers for Disease Control and Prevention//. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 July 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. . []

//- Chronic Wasting Disease in North America//. 26 Aug. 2008. //Conservation//. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. [].

- Department of Tennessee Wildlife Resources. //Chronic Wasting Disease//. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. [].

- Kreeger, Dr. Terry. //Chronic Wasting Disease//. N.d. //Chronic Wasting Disease// //Alliance//. Pyron Technologies, Inc., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. [].

-Pyron Technologies, Inc. "Learn About CWD." //Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance//. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. //Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance//. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .

-State Environmental Resource Center. "ISSUE: CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE." //SERC//. State Environmental Resource Center, 1 Oct. 2004. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. . []

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