VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The province of British Columbia in Canada has unveiled a strategy to combat the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) as the virus continues to move across North America.
After confirming two cases at the end of January, officials in British Columbia’s Kootenay district ordered the testing of any road-killed deer, moose, elk, and caribou. Both cases were found in a mule deer and a white-tailed deer. The province also placed restrictions on the movement and disposal of deer in the affected area.
CWD is a fatal disease caused by misfolded proteins known as prions and affects species in the cervid family. Infected animals exhibit symptoms such as drooling, stumbling, lethargy, and a blank stare, leading some to refer to it as “zombie deer disease.” The province has urged residents to report any sick cervids immediately.
In Canada, CWD has been confirmed in farmed deer populations in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Quebec, as well as among wild deer in Manitoba. It has also been found in three wild moose, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The recent confirmed case in Yellowstone National Park has raised concerns about the potential risk posed by the disease. Experts remain divided over whether CWD could pose a threat to humans, with some pointing to previous research on macaques suggesting that transmission of CWD between primates is possible.
Hermann Schätzl, the associate dean of research at the University of Calgary’s veterinary school, has expressed concern about the rapid spread of the virus across North America and Scandinavia. He highlighted the potential for the virus to become more variable over time and the implications if it were to infect humans.
Schätzl pointed to research on macaques deliberately infected with CWD, which found more indicators of the virus in the spinal cord than in the central nervous system. The long incubation period of prion diseases means that symptoms may not appear for many years, making the potential transmission of CWD to humans a significant concern.
The strategy revealed by British Columbia reflects a proactive approach to addressing the spread of CWD and the potential risks associated with the disease. As researchers continue to study the virus and its implications, the province’s efforts to mitigate the impact of CWD on wildlife and the community are crucial in ensuring public health and safety.