Students Show Interest in CWD Disease

Here is a deer that is diseased with Chronic Wasting Disease.

Here is a deer that is diseased with Chronic Wasting Disease.

by Calley Klindt and Madii Sandhorst

The deer population in Iowa are at risk of a fatal disease.

Shot gun season opened Dec. 6 of this year. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is asking hunters to help monitor Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD.) The DNR staff is collecting tissue from the deer in northeast and southeast Iowa. Hunters may call the closest DNR office to ask if they want to come and take a look at their deer (also called their trophy) to see if it has CWD. If the carcass of an animal that has the disease is left to decompose, the disease-causing protein can stay in the soil for years; so the department will need to stay vigilant for a return of the disease.

Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal disease of the brain and nerves that is passed in deer and elk. It produces small lesions in the brains of the infected animals. Some symptoms are loss of body weight and condition, behavior abnormalities, and death. CWD is classified as a “transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.” It is similar to mad cow disease in cattle and sheep. Researchers suggest that humans, cattle, and other domestic livestock cannot get CWD, but there still is a possibility that humans could get this infection. As of right now, there have been no cases of humans contracting CWD.

This disease can reduce the growth and size of wild deer and elk population in areas where the prevalence is high. CWD started out in just a few states, but has been recognized to travel farther. In 2002, Iowa has tested over 51,000 wild deer and over 4,000 captive deer and elk as part of a surveillance. Samples are collected from all 99 counties in Iowa. Hunters agree to participate completely voluntarily, and the DNR thanks all hunters that have assisted.

Chronic Wasting Disease was first discovered in northeastern Colorado in 1967. Since then, CWD has been detected in free ranging populations in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and in Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada.

Senior Tevin Krause-Larsen has been deer hunting since he was 6, but he has not gone hunting this year yet. Krause-Larsen said he does know about the CWD, but he would like to learn more about it. The disease does not concern Krause-Larsen, and he has yet to see a deer with CWD.

Junior Brant Siggins started deer hunting when he was 13. He does not know what CWD is, but said he would like to learn about it and get to know it better so if he gets a deer this season he will be able to tell if it has CWD or not.

Senior Evan Smith has been deer hunting for most of his life. Smith said his most memorable moment in deer hunting was getting his “37-point buck.” Smith also said he does not know what CWD is, but would like to find a cure for the disease if it makes the meat better. Smith said he “doesn’t really know much about diseases,” but when he goes out to hunt he “just shoots the deer.”  Smith has not yet seen a deer with CWD.  Smith’s concern about CWD is that it’s making the deer population smaller.

The DNR has yet to find a cure for this disease. Dan Pauley, the DNR Officer of Carroll County, said that he has yet to see or witness a deer with CWD. Pauley said that it is mostly in southeastern Iowa. Pauley also said that he does not know that there is any activity of CWD in Cass or Carroll counties. He does not think it can be transferred into humans.  Pauley has been in the DNR service for 27 years, and does not believe CWD is anything like distemper.