Photo : iStockRecent scientific research has raised concerns regarding the potential transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from infected deer to humans, indicating a possible link between the consumption of contaminated meat and fatal neurological conditions.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, underscores the urgency for comprehensive investigation into the public health implications associated with CWD exposure, as Insider Paper reports.
The study is focused on two occurrences of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a neurodegenerative disease that is similar to Mad Cow Disease and that claimed the lives of two people in 2022.
The researchers—who are from Texas—have brought attention to the possible link between human CJD development and eating meat from deer that have CWD.
To further understand the complex dynamics of CWD transmission and guide evidence-based therapies, further multidisciplinary research is necessary, wrote Insider Paper.
Representational Image. Photo : iStock
Recent scientific research has raised concerns regarding the potential transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from infected deer to humans, indicating a possible link between the consumption of contaminated meat and fatal neurological conditions. The study, published in the journal Neurology, underscores the urgency for comprehensive investigation into the public health implications associated with CWD exposure, as Insider Paper reports.
The study is focused on two occurrences of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a neurodegenerative disease that is similar to Mad Cow Disease and that claimed the lives of two people in 2022. The initial victim, a 72-year-old male, had seizures, aggressive behavior, and sudden cognitive impairment before passing away from the disease in less than a month. The existence of CJD was verified by further medical testing. The other, who was the first hunter's companion, also died of CJD, however there isn't much information in the literature at this time about their health.
The researchers—who are from Texas—have brought attention to the possible link between human CJD development and eating meat from deer that have CWD. Their results emphasize how important it is to keep looking into the processes behind the spread of CWD and the effects it has on public health.
The misfolding of prions—proteins that accumulate in the central nervous system and cause neurodegeneration—is the cause of CJD. CJD is always deadly because there are no viable therapies or prevention measures. Interestingly, the mechanisms by which CWD spreads are still not fully understood. Insider Paper reported that some ideas suggest that the disease might spread by tainted water or fodder, as well as through direct contact with human fluids including blood, urine, and saliva. Additionally, the periodic loss of antler velvet may contribute to the spread of pathogens.
Strict protocols are required for the control of CWD, especially in captive deer herds. Postmortem testing of dead deer is required by protocol in order to reduce the possibility of further infection. Since the disease is extremely contagious, the identification of even one afflicted animal calls for the herd as a whole to be considered weakened.
Given these results, further attention to tracking the prevalence of CWD and putting preventive measures in place to protect public health are necessary. To further understand the complex dynamics of CWD transmission and guide evidence-based therapies, further multidisciplinary research is necessary, wrote Insider Paper.
