Next week marks the annual tradition of the gun deer season in Wisconsin. When I moved to Berlin it did not take long to realize how important this week is to people. For some people it seemed the calendar revolved around the deer season. I would ask a patient how long they had their symptoms and get a reply like “it was about a month before deer season.” Or when did you have your surgery and get a reply “about six weeks after deer season.” Deer hunting tends to bring families and friends together for socializing, story-telling, and the opportunity to spend some time in the woods. This tradition depends on a healthy deer population. Chronic wasting disease or CWD is a threat to the deer herd. This year I haven’t heard much in the news about chronic wasting disease. It is still around and seems to be spreading slowly in certain areas. From a health perspective, do we need to be concerned?
CWD is a progressive fatal disorder that affects mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, and elk. The problem seems to be spread by an infectious agent known as a prion. It affects the nervous system of the animal and causes weakness, weight loss and eventually death. The technical term for this illness is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). It mimics, but is different than the condition that occurs in cows commonly referred to as mad cow disease.
This disorder was first recognized in captive mule deer in the late 1960’s in Colorado. It was later discovered in wild deer in 1981. It has since spread to a number of states including Wisconsin.
It seems to be spread through direct contact between animals and possibly through animals eating from the same food source. It seems to occur in clusters and spreads from there. In Wisconsin it has been identified primarily in the southern counties.
There has never been a proven case of a human contracting TSE from touching or eating wild game. The DNR has made recommendations to try to be extra careful when handling deer especially in the zones that have been identified as having CWD. The deer can be tested if it appears to be ill. In general, it is advised that people avoid consuming tissues that may contain the prion that causes the disease. This includes the brain, spinal cord and salivary glands.
Testing of deer so far has not diagnosed a case of CWD in Green Lake, Winnebago, Marquette, or Waushara counties. There have been some concerns raised in the past about the potential danger of eating venison because of fear of CWD. This could cause people to sit out the deer season. Actually this could increase the problem. If the deer herd becomes too dense, the risk of the disease spreading increases.
Deer pose much more of a danger due to vehicle collisions than due to the danger from CWD. In Wisconsin, on average over 20,000 deer are killed yearly in collisions with vehicles. There were over 400 injuries to occupants in the vehicle and 14 deaths in 2012. This risk also increases if the deer population becomes too dense.
So, if you like to hunt, get out and enjoy the annual tradition of deer hunting and help control the herd. Be safe with your gun and dress appropriately for the weather. Properly handled venison is considered safe to eat and CWD is not considered to be a threat to humans. Stay healthy my friends.
By P. Michael Shattuck, M.D. – Community Health Network Family Physician
