03/24/26 Public Health Education Topic: Chronic Wasting Disease
- Health Department
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Per CDC
Key points
Chronic wasting disease affects deer, elk, moose, and similar animals in the United States and a few other countries.
The disease hasn't been shown to infect people.
Scientists continue to study whether having contact with or eating meat from infected animals could affect people.
Signs and symptoms in Animal
CWD can infect farmed and free-range deer and elk of all ages. It may take months to years before an infected animal shows symptoms, which may include:
Drastic weight loss (wasting)
Stumbling or lack of coordination
Drooling
Listlessness (appearing "out of it")
Excessive thirst or peeing
Drooping ears
Lack of fear of people
It is often difficult to diagnose an animal with CWD based on these symptoms alone. This is because many CWD symptoms also occur with other diseases and when animals aren't eating enough.
Reducing your risk
In the United States, CWD was first identified in the 1960s in captive deer. In 1981, the first wild deer with CWD was reported. Since then, the disease has been reported in wild deer in 36 U.S. states. It's possible that CWD is also in other states but hasn't been reported yet. Once the disease is established in an area, the CWD prions can stay in the soil for years.
If you're hunting in areas with CWD activity, follow these steps to reduce your risk of contact with the disease:
Do not shoot, handle or eat animals that look sick or act strangely.
Do not touch or eat meat from animals found dead.
If you're field-dressing a deer or handling meat:
Wear latex or rubber gloves
Avoid handling its internal organs, especially the brain or spine.
Do not use knives or other tools you use in your kitchen.
Check state wildlife and health department recommendations before you hunt. See if they recommend or require testing animals for CWD in the hunting area. Recommendations vary by state.
Strongly consider having the deer or elk tested for CWD before you eat the meat. If your deer is processed commercially, consider asking to have your animal be processed individually. This ensures you are only getting meat from your animal. If your animal tests positive for CWD, do not eat meat from that animal.
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