Chronic Wasting Disease discovered in more West Virginia deer

HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va (WDTV) – Chronic Wasting Disease has made its way to Jefferson County. In October, while conducting routine surveillances, employees with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources came across roadkill that would later be confirmed positive for CWD after multiple lab tests. Additional batch studies in the following months confirmed three other white-tail deer had also contracted the disease. Jackson County now joins the list of six other counties in or bordering West Virginia where deer have tested positive for CWD. Hampshire, Hardy, Morgan, and Mineral counties have had positive cases throughout the past 19 years. Hampshire became the first in 2005. While the diseased deer do not show signs of infection right away, symptoms start to become clear in the final stage of the 18 months following infection.

“Ultimately, what it results in is a wasting condition,” said Ethan Barton, Wildlife Disease specialist with WV DNR. “The animal becomes very emaciated; it loses a bunch of muscle tone while exhibiting those neurological signs. That’s what leads to the animal’s death.”

Some people have even referred to CWD as ‘Zombie Deer Disease’, a reference Barton doesn’t agree with, but understands where the connection comes from.

“It’s almost like they’re hollow,” said Barton. “They lose a lot of situational awareness and they kind of look through you, they don’t acknowledge that you’re there. That’s a function of the neurological disease. Essentially holes form in the brain over time, cognition goes down big time, and then there are a lot of neurological issues associated with it. I’m not keen on the ‘Zombie Deer Disease’ terminology.”

Barton encourages hunters to follow high-risk carcass part transportation guidelines to prevent the further spread of CWD. Click here to learn about the process.

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