CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE & THEORIES OF TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY TRANSMISSION

Introduction Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal brain and nervous system disease that affects certain cervidae, such as white tail deer, black tail deer, mule deer, and elk. CWD is in the family of diseases called Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs). It was first observed in 1967 at a Ft. Collins, Colorado research facility in a mule deer specimen. The principal clinical signs of CWD include staggering, listlessness, abnormal behavior, loss of fear of humans, excessive drooling and drinking, frequently urination, drooping ears, and rough coat in addition to weight loss. Researchers who observed the destructive effects of the disease coined the term CWD due to the rapid weight loss common in infected animals.