The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reporting detections of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in farmed white-tailed deer in the Eastern U.P. The three-year-old deer that was infected was found in Mackinac County as part of the state’s CWD surveillance program.
Two other deer were found to have CWD in downstate counties. As part of MDARD’s disease response, investigations are ongoing to rule out additional exposures to other farmed cervids.
“These detections highlight why it is so vital to perform regular surveillance testing. Early detection allows for a prompt response, which helps limit the exposure of additional animals to this disease,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. “While regular CWD surveillance testing is central to response efforts, MDARD’s ongoing partnership with herd owners, hunters, and other state and federal partners is crucial to effectively managing this disease. Ensuring the health of Michigan’s farmed cervid population has been and continues to be a team effort.”
CWD is a progressive, fatal neurological disease that affects different cervid species, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. CWD can be transmitted directly from one animal to another and indirectly through the environment. While an infected animal may appear healthy for months or years, it will eventually display abnormal behavior, progressive weight loss, and physical debilitation in the later stages of the disease.
Currently, there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in humans. However, as a precaution, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that CWD-infected animals should not be consumed as food by either humans or domestic animals.
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