For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Four more farmed white-tailed deer test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease
Part of disease tracing effort reaching back to 2016 Crow Wing County case
St. Paul, Minn. — In late April, the Board of Animal
Health and United States Department of Agriculture euthanized a quarantined
herd of 14 white-tailed deer in Meeker County. Samples collected from the
animals were tested at the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory in
Ames, Iowa and four deer were confirmed CWD positive on May 15. This herd was
part of an investigation initiated with a CWD infected farmed deer herd found
in Crow Wing County late last year.
The Board shared the test results with the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources, which responds to and manages CWD in wild
deer. The Board works with the USDA as it investigates and regulates CWD in
farmed deer. The owner agreed to euthanize the animals and test them for CWD as
part of a herd plan developed between the USDA, the Board and the owner after
finding a trace animal in the herd was positive for CWD in January of this
year.
The herd plan also includes tracing animal movements into
and out of this herd within the last five years. This tracing revealed two of
the four CWD positive animals came from a Wright County deer farm as fawns in
2014. The Wright County farm has also been placed under quarantine as of May
15.
"This emphasizes the need for a strong CWD surveillance
program in our captive deer and elk. Although these animals appeared healthy,
they were infected with CWD and would have continued to spread the disease if
they remained alive. CWD testing all deer and elk that die or are killed on a
producer's property is critical to the program," said Board Assistant
Director, Dr. Linda Glaser. "We quarantined the Wright County herd after
discovering two of the four CWD positives originated there, but that herd is
not considered infected. Herd movements are restricted, and the herd will be
closely monitored until 2019."
The Meeker County farm is empty and remains quarantined for
all deer and elk species, and fences remain in place to keep wild deer off of
the site. The next step is to clean and disinfect as much of the herd
enclosures as possible. When that is complete, the property will remain
quarantined for a period of five years.
CWD is a disease of deer and elk caused by an abnormally
shaped protein, a prion, which can damage brain and nerve tissue. There is no
danger to other animal species. The disease is most likely transmitted when
infected deer and elk shed prions in saliva, feces, urine, and other fluids or
tissues. The disease is always fatal, and there are no known treatments or vaccines. CWD is not known to
affect humans, though consuming infected meat is not advised. Follow this link
to learn read more about CWD.
Contact Information:
Michael Crusan, Communications Director Minnesota Board of Animal Health 651-201-6815 michael.crusan@state.mn.us
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