Zombie deer disease is spreading and may spread to humans

 A disturbing phenomenon is quietly developing in the vast forests and meadows of North America. “Zombie deer disease,” known scientifically as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), is spreading through the deer population, prompting concern among scientists, conservationists and the public. CWD is a neurological disease characterized by symptoms such as drooling, lethargy, stumbling, blank stare, and complete insensitivity to pain. In Wyoming alone, more than 800 deer, elk and caribus samples have tested positive for the disease, underscoring the scale and urgency of the problem.

CWD is caused by prions - distorted proteins that have the ability to abnormally transform normal brain proteins, leading to neurological degeneration. What is extremely disturbing is that prions are extremely resistant and can persist in the environment for years, and are elusive to traditional disinfection methods.

The spread of CWD poses a serious threat not only to wildlife populations, but also to the environment and may pose a risk to human health. There is some concern about the possibility of the disease transmitting to humans. Prion diseases have already demonstrated the ability to cross the species barrier in the past, as exemplified by the mad cow disease virus that led to a tragedy in Great Britain.

Extremely worryingly, there is already a confirmed case of human infection with the CWD virus. Additionally, laboratory studies have shown that the prions responsible for CWD can infect and replicate in human cells, increasing concerns about possible transmission. People may unknowingly expose themselves to the virus by hunting infected deer and eating their meat. Estimates indicate that humans consumed between 7,000 and 15,000 CWD-infected animals in 2017, and this number may be growing by 20% annually.

Detecting and diagnosing prion diseases in humans is challenging because prions do not trigger an immune response, making them difficult to detect. This poses a significant barrier to early intervention and efforts to contain the spread of the virus. Additionally, the persistence of prions in the environment means that people can be infected indirectly, for example through contact with contaminated soil, water and other environmental sources.

In the face of this information, it is clear that the long-term effects of CWD on human health require a serious, long-term approach not only in terms of research, but also the implementation of preventive measures, such as monitoring and control of populations of wild animals exposed to the disease and education of hunting and local communities on about the risks associated with the consumption of game animals.

The alarming CWD situation raises difficult questions for humanity about how we intervene in natural ecosystems and the public health consequences of these actions. As a species, we must take decisive action to understand and limit the spread of prion diseases among both animals and humans to ensure the safety and health of future generations.