Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Deadly ‘zombie’ deer disease could possibly spread to humans, experts warn

A deadly disease that has affected the deer population in an estimated 24 states and two Canadian provinces could eventually spread to and infect humans, experts warn.

Speaking at the Minnesota State Capitol last week, experts from the University of Minnesota told lawmakers of the dangers of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), or what the U.S. Geological Survey describes as a “ fatal, neurological illness occurring in North American cervids (members of the deer family), including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose.”

Currently, there are no vaccines or treatments available for the disease, which scientists say spreads directly through animal-to-animal contact but also indirectly through contaminated drinking water or food.

While there have been no reported cases of CWD in people, Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told lawmakers that the disease should be treated as a public health issue, claiming human cases of CWD will likely be “documented in the years ahead.”

“It is probable that human cases of CWD associated with the consumption of contaminated meat will be documented in the years ahead. It is possible that number of human cases will be substantial and will not be isolated events,” he said, in part, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

Osterholm likened CWD to mad cow disease, which public health officials and those in the beef industry once did not think could infect people (it has since been confirmed that a cureless variant of mad cow — Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) — can adversely impact humans).

More


https://www.foxnews.com/health/deadly-zombie-deer-disease-could-possibly-spread-to-humans-experts-warn

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I got my crossbow and ninja swords. I'm ready.

Anonymous said...

Funny how all of these animal diseases can miraculously transform to affect humans, so what this really means is, some scientist made a genetically modified virus and it got out or they plan to release it... And watch for the treatment or vaccine in the next year or so... Like tama-flu or what ever it is called... It is strange and miraculous that a new strain of the flu virus comes out and all of a sudden there is pills for it at the same time... Very interesting... Does this sound like H1N1 swine flu anyone??? What ever happened to Zika too??? What ever happened to Ebola that got over here??? See the pattern, see the picture???

Anonymous said...

Don't eat Deer. Problem solved.

Anonymous said...

This is a very serious problem, this is what many in Washington DC have. Most of the lawmakers should have been dead and buried years ago, but watching the SOTU I saw many "Zombies"!

Anonymous said...

Mad cow, is this not what hillary and the ku klux clueless white robed dems of congress have?

Anonymous said...

Headlines like to use the word "could" that way they "might" not be lies