It is a shame because how they handle CWD, atleast in Florida, is they have a drive and elimiante all the deer they can where the CWD was found. I wonder how it got so out of control in the first place...? Maybe under paid and not that many officials to regulate or something could be to blame... but they need to better monitor this. In the end, sportsmen as well as the deer population all suffer.

Must be all of that out of control baiting.

Vork-
It is in Minnesota. It was found in a captive elk farm in Sauk Centre between 2000 and 2003. I don't remember the exact year, but I had purchased meat from the gentleman who owned the farm, and sold him a tractor just prior to them finding it. He was a soft antler producer that had a magnificent 500+ inch bull that was his breeder. Unfortunately the whole herd was euthanized as well as some other breeders' animals that he had sold to.
2poppa-
I do believe that I read you were from Ky. where I live. Unfortunately the new federal law requiring the removal of spinal columns and brainstems from dead livestock has put the only rendering company in the state out of business. This has opened up a "new" market for incinerators to cremate the remains of all deadlivestock as well as deer and elk carcasses from processing facilities, and roadkill. As people may or may not know, prion diseases such as CWD, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and Mad Cow, cannot be destroyed through incineration. If we are to protect our herds (both domestic and wild), hunters like ourselves need to get involved in the legislative process to make sure that the incerators are NOT allowed to operate. I am looking into purchasing a "digestor" to contract for livestock and roadkill disposal. It is one viable alternative that won't make the prion pathogens airborne and thus easier to spread. You, and anyone else who is interested in stopping the incineration disposal of carcasses, may contact me @ edstoresit@aol.com.

P35

ADAPTATION OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD) INTO HAMSTERS, EVIDENCE OF A WISCONSIN STRAIN OF CWD

Chad Johnson1, Judd Aiken2,3,4 and Debbie McKenzie4,5 1 Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison WI, USA 53706 2 Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences, 3 Alberta Veterinary Research Institute, 4.Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, 5 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada T6G 2P5 The identification and characterization of prion strains is increasingly important for the diagnosis and biological definition of these infectious pathogens. Although well-established in scrapie and, more recently, in BSE, comparatively little is known about the possibility of prion strains in chronic wasting disease (CWD), a disease affecting free ranging and captive cervids, primarily in North America. We have identified prion protein variants in the white-tailed deer population and demonstrated that Prnp genotype affects the susceptibility/disease progression of white-tailed deer to CWD agent. The existence of cervid prion protein variants raises the likelihood of distinct CWD strains. Small rodent models are a useful means of identifying prion strains. We intracerebrally inoculated hamsters with brain homogenates and phosphotungstate concentrated preparations from CWD positive hunter-harvested (Wisconsin CWD endemic area) and experimentally infected deer of known Prnp genotypes. These transmission studies resulted in clinical presentation in primary passage of concentrated CWD prions. Subclinical infection was established with the other primary passages based on the detection of PrPCWD in the brains of hamsters and the successful disease transmission upon second passage. Second and third passage data, when compared to transmission studies using different CWD inocula (Raymond et al., 2007) indicate that the CWD agent present in the Wisconsin white-tailed deer population is different than the strain(s) present in elk, mule-deer and white-tailed deer from the western United States endemic region.

http://www.istitutoveneto.it/prion_09/Abstracts_09.pdf

Sunday, April 12, 2009

CWD UPDATE Infection Studies in Two Species of Non-Human Primates and one Environmental reservoir infectivity study and evidence of two strains

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/04/cwd-update-infection...

CWD Infection Studies in Two Species of Non-Human Primates

Bruce Chesebro Laboratory of Persistent Virus Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, Montana USA 59840.

CWD is a TSE/prion disease present in wild and domestic cervid populations of North America. CWD from cervids might possibly spread to humans who hunt and eat these species and to domestic animals such as cattle, sheep or horses sharing the same habitat. Therefore, it is important to understand the potential for spread of CWD to other species. Laboratory experiments have shown that CWD does not cause disease in transgenic mice expressing human PrP, suggesting that humans and other primates might be resistant to this infection. However, earlier data from the laboratory of Richard Marsh found that squirrel monkeys could be infected by intracerebral CWD inoculation. We recently followed up this work extending it to studies of two primate species, squirrel monkeys and Cynomolgus macaques. We also compared intracerebral and oral routes of infection. To search for possible CWD variant strains we analyzed 8 different CWD pools obtained from wild or domestic elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer. The results of these experiments will be presented.

http://www.istitutoveneto.it/prion_09/Abstracts_09.pdf

J Virol. 2005 November; 79(21): 13794-13796. doi: 10.1128/JVI.79.21.13794-13796.2005. PMCID: PMC1262585

Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology

Interspecies Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions to Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

Richard F. Marsh,1? Anthony E. Kincaid,2 Richard A. Bessen,3 and Jason C. Bartz4* Department of Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706,1 Department of Physical Therapy,2 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska 68178,4 Department of Veterinary Molecular Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 597183 *Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178. Phone: (402) 280-1811. Fax: (402) 280-1875. E-mail: jbartz@creighton.edu. ?Deceased. Received May 3, 2005; Accepted August 10, 2005. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Top AbstractChronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging prion disease of deer and elk. The risk of CWD transmission to humans following exposure to CWD-infected tissues is unknown. To assess the susceptibility of nonhuman primates to CWD, two squirrel monkeys were inoculated with brain tissue from a CWD-infected mule deer. The CWD-inoculated squirrel monkeys developed a progressive neurodegenerative disease and were euthanized at 31 and 34 months postinfection. Brain tissue from the CWD-infected squirrel monkeys contained the abnormal isoform of the prion protein, PrP-res, and displayed spongiform degeneration. This is the first reported transmission of CWD to primates.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1262585

P1

THE ENVIRONMENT AS A RESERVOIR OF PRION INFECTIVITY

Aiken, Judd1,2, Chris Johnson4, Debbie McKenzie1,3 and Joel Pedersen5 1 Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, 2 Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences, 3 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada, 4 National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI and 5 Department of Soil Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison

An environmental reservoir of prion infectivity has long been known to be a source of infection of sheep scrapie and likely plays an even more important role in the transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in elk, deer and moose. Prion infectivity is extremely resistant to degradation, resulting in an environmental persistence of infectious agent. CWD is a contagious disease of free-ranging cervids. Infected deer and elk release infectious agent into the environment from body fluids and from diseased animal carcasses. The rapid expansion of CWD in North America represents a significant and continued environmental risk not only to cervids but to other species as well. Our work has demonstrated that prion protein, including PrPCWD, binds avidly to soil and soil components. Significantly, prion/soil binding enhances disease transmission suggesting that the soils, once contaminated with infectious prions, plays a critical role in maintaining and perpetuating prion infections.

III International Symposium on THE NEW PRION BIOLOGY: BASIC SCIENCE, DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY 2 - 4 APRIL 2009, VENEZIA (ITALY)

http://www.istitutoveneto.it/prion_09/Abstracts_09.pdf

PLEASE be assured, the FDA is not recalling all this CWD positive meat, for the well being of the DEAD CWD POSTIVE ELK ;

RECALLS AND FIELD CORRECTIONS: FOODS CLASS II

___________________________________

PRODUCT

a) Elk Meat, Elk Tenderloin, Frozen in plastic vacuum packaging. Each package is approximately 2 lbs., and each case is approximately 16 lbs.; Item number 755125, Recall # F-129-9;

b) Elk Meat, Elk Trim, Frozen; Item number 755155, Recall # F-130-9;

c) Elk Meat, French Rack, Chilled. Item number 755132, Recall # F-131-9;

d) Elk Meat, Nude Denver Leg. Item number 755122, Recall # F-132-9;

e) Elk Meat, New York Strip Steak, Chilled. Item number 755128, Recall # F-133-9;

f) Elk Meat, Flank Steak Frozen. Item number 755131, Recall # F-134-9;

CODE

Elk Meats with production dates of December 29, 30, and 31

RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER

Recalling Firm: Sierra Meats, Reno, NV, by telephone on January 29, 2009 and press release on February 9, 2009.

Manufacturer: Noah's Ark Holding, LLC, Dawson, MN. Firm initiated recall is ongoing.

REASON

Elk products contain meat derived from an elk confirmed to have Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE

Unknown

DISTRIBUTION

NV, CA, TX, CO, NY, UT, FL, OK

___________________________________

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ENFORCE/2009/ENF01099.html

Cross-sequence transmission of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease creates a new prion strain

Date: August 25, 2007 at 12:42 pm PST

our results raise the possibility that CJD cases classified as VV1 may include cases caused by iatrogenic transmission of sCJD-MM1 prions or food-borne infection by type 1 prions from animals, e.g., chronic wasting disease prions in cervid. In fact, two CJD-VV1 patients who hunted deer or consumed venison have been reported (40, 41). The results of the present study emphasize the need for traceback studies and careful re-examination of the biochemical properties of sCJD-VV1 prions.

http://www.jbc.org/

snip...

Clearly, it is premature to draw firm conclusions about CWD passing naturally into humans, cattle and sheep, but the present results suggest that CWD transmissions to humans would be as limited by PrP incompatibility as transmissions of BSE or sheep scrapie to humans. Although there is no evidence that sheep scrapie has affected humans, it is likely that BSE has caused variant CJD in 74 people (definite and probable variant CJD cases to date according to the UK CJD Surveillance Unit). Given the presumably large number of people exposed to BSE infectivity, the susceptibility of humans may still be very low compared with cattle, which would be consistent with the relatively inefficient conversion of human PrP-sen by PrPBSE. Nonetheless, since humans have apparently been infected by BSE, it would seem prudent to take reasonable measures to limit exposure of humans (as well as sheep and cattle) to CWD infectivity as has been recommended for other animal TSEs.

snip...

http://www.emboj.org/current.shtml

snip

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol10no6/03-1082.htm

From: TSS (216-119-163-189.ipset45.wt.net)

Subject: CWD aka MAD DEER/ELK TO HUMANS ???

Date: September 30, 2002 at 7:06 am PST

From: "Belay, Ermias" To: Cc: "Race, Richard (NIH)" ; ; "Belay, Ermias" Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002 9:22 AM Subject: RE: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG HUNTERS

Dear Sir/Madam, In the Archives of Neurology you quoted (the abstract of which was attached to your email), we did not say CWD in humans will present like variant CJD.

That assumption would be wrong. I encourage you to read the whole article and call me if you have questions or need more clarification (phone: 404-639-3091). Also, we do not claim that "no-one has ever been infected with prion disease from eating venison." Our conclusion stating that we found no strong evidence of CWD transmission to humans in the article you quoted or in any other forum is limited to the patients we investigated.

Ermias Belay, M.D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

-----Original Message----- From: Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 10:15 AM To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] Subject: TO CDC AND NIH - PUB MED- 3 MORE DEATHS - CWD - YOUNG HUNTERS

Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:26 PM ......snip........end..............TSS

snip...

full text ;

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/02/exotic-meats-usa-ann...

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Elk Antler Velvet (Nutritional Supplements and CJD)

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/03/chronic-wasting-dise...

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Detection of CWD Prions in Urine and Saliva of Deer by Transgenic Mouse Bioassay

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/03/detection-of-cwd-pri...

Thursday, March 26, 2009

HB 4214 - Texas: Relating to the business of taxidermy; providing penalties AND HELP PREVENT CWD

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/03/hb-4214-texas-relati...

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Chronic Wasting Disease found in a farmed elk from Olmsted County ST. PAUL, Minn. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, January 26, 2009

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/01/chronic-wasting-dise...

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Research Project: Detection of TSE Agents in Livestock, Wildlife, Agricultural Products, and the Environment Location: 2008 Annual Report

http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2009/01/research-project-detection-of-t...

Monday, January 05, 2009

CWD, GAME FARMS, BAITING, AND POLITICS

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/01/cwd-game-farms-baiti...

2008 CWD Laboratory Testing for Wild White-tailed Deer

http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607,7-186-25806-202922--,00....

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

CWD to tighten taxidermy rules Hunters need to understand regulations

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/01/cwd-to-tighten-taxid...

Thursday, December 25, 2008 Lions and Prions and Deer Demise

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/12/lions-and-prions-and...

Friday, April 17, 2009

MORE GAME FARMS FINDING CWD, ANOTHER ONE QUARANTINED CANADA

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-game-farms-find...

CAN'T GET IT UP, THIS IS NO ADVERTISEMENT, DON'T TAKE THESE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

10.3201/eid1505.081458 Suggested citation for this article: Angers RC,
Seward TS, Napier D, Green M, Hoover E, Spraker T, et al. Chronic wasting
disease prions in elk antler velvet. Emerg Infect Dis. 2009 May; [Epub ahead
of print]

Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Elk Antler Velvet

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2009/03/chronic-wasting-dise...

Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

P.O. Box 42

Bacliff, Texas USA 77518

I live not too far from ground zero of the CWD zone of Wisconsin. The problem is compounded because of many things. The real challenge to our state's DNR is that there is less land being hunted than ever before. I grew up in Northern Wisconsin where almost everyone hunted. Every farm was not only hunted by owners but by hunting parties of 20 guys who would go from farm to farm doing drives until their tags were filled. The Madison area has been in death throws of a losing battle against Urban and Suburban sprawl. Where only farm land was 10 years ago now there are miles and miles of development complexes. You can drive for 20 or thirty miles in any direction of the city and still be in the suburb. Deer are so drastically different in concentrations that I hunted state land last year for over a solid month and a half during the early October hunt, rifle hunt, muzzleloader season, and late rifle season. I saw a total of 5 deer during that entire time. Only one of which I took out (a small doe). Yet there are places were farmers have counted over a hundred deer on their fields at a single time. The problem is that many people want to live in the country. They buy 100 acres of land and do not hunt. In fact, they plant food for the deer and feed them. Also, in Lafayette county, there are thousands of miles of corn on huge crop farms. Those farms are not hunted except for a few owners who tag their deer opening day and then put up the spurs for the year. I grew up in Northern Wisconsin and remember when I was a boy. Opening morning of deer season sounded like world war 3. You could drive any country road all season and see orange dots driving every little crook and cranny possible through the entire 9 days. Now the farm my father lives on is surrounded by trophy hunters who feed year round and you hear 3 shots at 8am on opening day. Three trophies are taken in the entire 5 miles of wood. Then it is silent. They do not let others hunt on their land because they are possessive. They want to save those deer so they have their pick next year. I hunt hard and I support those who do the same because I realize that if this CWD gets out of hand I am not sure I will trust Venison to feed my family anymore and that will snowball to the very end of the hunting industry. It makes me sad and I am not sure that it can be remedied because you can't tell people what to do on their own land.