Researchers in San Antonio, Texas, have reported a concerning case involving two hunters who consumed meat from deer infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD) and subsequently developed neurological conditions before passing away in 2022. This raises alarming questions about the potential transmission of the disease from animals to humans. CWD was first detected in deer populations in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming in the 1990s, but has since spread to at least 32 states across the US, affecting deer, elk, and moose.
The disease, commonly referred to as “zombie deer disease,” is characterized by symptoms such as weight loss, lack of coordination, stumbling, listlessness, drooling, and diminished fear of humans in infected animals. Scientists and health officials have long been concerned about the possibility of CWD jumping to humans, similar to how mad cow disease spread in the UK during the 1990s. A recent study from Canada suggested a potential risk of CWD transmission to humans based on research conducted on mice.
While there have been no confirmed cases of deer-to-human transmission of CWD, the discovery of the disease in a dead deer at Yellowstone National Park in November has heightened concerns. The abnormal folding of prion proteins in prion diseases, such as CWD, leads to brain damage and other severe symptoms. Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders that can affect both humans and animals.
Although the structural differences between chronic wasting disease and mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE) raise uncertainties about the potential outcomes of CWD transmission to humans, experts warn that it could pose a significant crisis similar to the one caused by mad cow disease. The spread of CWD continues to be a growing concern, with recent cases detected in new states like Indiana. The US Geological Survey now tracks CWD in 33 states, four Canadian provinces, and several other countries.
The case of the two hunters who tragically succumbed to neurological conditions after consuming meat from CWD-infected deer underscores the urgent need for further investigation and monitoring of the disease’s potential risks to public health. As the prevalence of chronic wasting disease continues to grow, researchers and health officials stress the importance of proactive measures to prevent any transmission from infected animals to humans.