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Signs of Infection |
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Signs of Infection |
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The most noticeable symptom of CWD in deer is loss of weight. The deer cease eating when infected, becoming thinner and thinner. Also apparent are distinct changes in behavior. Infected deer interact less with other deer, and also “begin to slobber uncontrollably, and walk in circles” (McCombie). From the Virginia Department of Game: “In early stages of infection, animals do not show any symptoms. The incubation period can range from about 12-18 months up to 3-5 years. In later stages, infected animals begin to display abnormal behavior such as staggering or standing with very poor posture. Animals may have an exaggerated wide posture or carry the head and ears lowered, and may drool. Infected animals become emaciated (thus the name wasting disease) and appear in very poor body condition. Clinical symptoms are typically not seen in deer younger than 18 months of age. CWD symptoms may also be characteristic of diseases other than CWD (e.g. deer with bacterial brain abscesses or chronic Hemorrhagic Disease)” (http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/diseases/cwd/#1) This disease results in death in every case.
CWD, along with the well known “Mad Cow Disease,” are both transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. These diseases attack prions in the brain. In humans, this disease is called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, causing “symptoms similar to Alzheimer's, including memory loss and depression, followed by rapidly progressive dementia and death usually within a year” (McCombie).
CWD can spread from deer to deer through saliva or blood. This is troubling because deer in the wild regularly lick each other or touch noses.
Sources
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mth&AN=7047682&site=ehost-live&scope=site
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mih&AN=22765693&site=ehost-live&scope=site