Chronic wasting disease found in white-tailed deer in Manitoba for 1st time

For the first time in Manitoba, chronic wasting diseasehas been found in white-tailed deer, after recently being detected inmule deer.

Chronic wasting disease, nicknamed zombie deer disease, is a fatal and incurable illness that affects cervid, or deer family members, such as moose, caribou and elk.

If it becomes widespread, it could threaten the health of all deer family members in Manitoba, the provincial Natural Resources Department said in a news release.

Frequently, symptomsdon't show until the later stages ofthe illness.

Animals with chronic wasting diseaseoften experience brain and nervous system deterioration.

There is no known human health riskbut in a news release, Natural Resources advises avoiding consumingmeat that came from an animal infected with the disease.

Those hunting in areas where chronic wasting disease is a concern should also have harvested animals tested, the province says.

The illness is transmitted through direct animal to animal contact, such as contact with saliva, feces and carcass parts of an infected animal.

Infected animals oftendon't display symptoms until the later stages of the disease.

The first sighting of chronic wasting diseasein Manitoba was in a mule deer in late 2021. Since then, there have been a total of 20 positive cases.

As part of ongoing efforts to manage the spread of chronic wasting disease, cases are identified using biological sampling submissions alongside sampling of animals harvested by Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development staff.

The spread of the disease could create a serious threat to the health of the local cervid population, the province says.

People hunting in areas where chronic wasting disease is active should have harvested animals tested as well as practice safe carcass-handling protocols, Natural Resources said.

Hunters with questions and concerns about an animal that has been harvested can email CWD@gov.mb.caor call 1-204-638-4570.

Those looking for general information can visitwww.manitoba.ca/cwd.