[Animals] The 'zombie deer' disease could mutate and infect humans

[FNX Magokiler]

In 2018, herds of deer, elk and reindeer in North America were affected by zombie deer disease, a disorder that gradually destroys the animals' nervous systems. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has already been discovered in 23 states in the United States, as well as two provinces in Canada, Norway, Finland, and a small number in South Korea. In December 2023, the disease once again attracted attention in various media around the world after the first death of a cervid from this disease was confirmed in Yellowstone National Park.

Due to the neurogenerative disorders it causes, affected animals may present various symptoms such as motor incoordination, drastic weight loss, apathy and other neurological manifestations.

The syndrome was detected for the first time in captive animals in 1960, and in wild deer in 1981, but since 2000 the affected area has increased to reach various territories, with an affectation rate of up to 79% in herds of captive animals.

Although in the wild the rate is between 10% and 25%, “it is likely that the affected areas will continue to expand,” say the authors of a 2018 study (regularly updated) carried out by the Center for Prevention and Control. of Diseases of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (CDC).

Prions, also causing 'mad cow'
With the studies carried out so far, scientists believe that the transmission of this syndrome occurs through proteins, called prions, which spread among animals through body fluids, either directly or through contamination of the soil, water or food.

 

 

Prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a family of rare neurogenerative disorders that affect both animals and humans, among which is 'mad cow' disease.

Eighteen years after this syndrome, which lasted 8 years and affected more than 700 animals and 200 people, set off alarm bells in Spain, the most accepted theory is that “for reasons that are not yet understood, the normal prion protein is transforms into a pathogenic (harmful) form that damages the central nervous system,” states a CDC study.

Risk of contagion in humans
To date, no cases of CWD infection in humans have been reported. However, several “animal studies suggest that CWD poses a risk to some types of non-human primates, such as monkeys, that eat meat from infected animals or come into contact with the brain or body fluids of infected deer or elk.” Based on these studies, concern arises about a possible risk of contagion to humans, according to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

According to information from the United States CDC, although no cases of 'zombie deer' disease have been found in humans, "experimental studies raise some concern that CWD may pose a risk to people and is important to avoid human exposure to CWD.

 

https://www.nationalgeographic.es/animales/2018/11/enfermedad-ciervos-zombies-mutacion-contagio-humanos