Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, is a deadly and incurable neurological illness. Idaho just received its second confirmed case in domestic elk.

What is Chronic Wasting Disease

CWD is a prion disease, a type of illness not caused by viruses or bacteria, but instead by misfolded proteins called prions. When enough prions enter the body, they can create a chain reaction of damaging normal proteins in the body which leads to cell destruction and neurological damage, and inevitably, death of the organism.

Prion diseases are currently incurable and the only known ones occur in mammals. CWD affects animals in the deer family (cervids) such as but not limited to: moose, caribou, mule deer, reindeer, red deer, and elk. CWD was first found in Colorado in 1967, but through the years has been detected across the globe.

“It’s in Asia, Europe and North America,” said Professor Mark Zabel with the Prion Research Center at Colorado State University

How is it spread?

Zabel said that the disease can be transferred directly–for instance from a sick moose to a healthy moose–as well as transferred indirectly due to the prions’ infectious properties,

“…unlike many most other pathogens, it’s very stable in the environment. So it can remain infectious in the environment, in soil and landscapes. For years to decades.”

Prions get into the environment (soil, water, plants, etc) through excretion by infected animals, such as through their urine, feces, saliva, and decomposing bodies. Then, due to the prion’s very stable protein structure, they’re able to stay infectious for up to 20 years. This means other animals can pass through the environment, and pick up the prions laid decades past, and still get infected.

CWD is difficult to detect because animals may be infected for long periods of time without showing signs due to the disease’s incubation period. On average, the time between initial infection and first signs of it is 18 to 24 months long.

Concerns of the Disease

Not only is CWD an ecological concern due to the difficulty of combating it, but it is also a severe economic issue regarding wildlife and agriculture governmental agencies. The most recent data shows the government as spent $280 million dollars on CWD from 2000-2021. A majority amount of that was spent by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Idaho first saw CWD in wild mule deer in 2021. Within the past two months, there have been two confirmed cases of domestic elks that were from different elk farms, meaning, they couldn’t have infected one another. In Idaho’s 2021-2022 fiscal year, wildlife agencies spent close to $225,000 trying to combat CWD.

Zabel told me his main concern as a scientist is “…this disease could spread to humans, you know. So it has some zoonotic potential, similar to another prion disease that people might be aware of called bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE. Probably more commonly known as mad cow disease.”

When someone eats beef contaminated with Mad Cow disease, a variant of the prion disease from the cow can be made to infect a human. For now, CWD does not have the ability to change to infect humans, but since it is a prion disease, it is possible that it could develop one.

What you can do to stay safe and help

Zabel encourages hunters to follow state practices to reduce the possible spread of CWD and to test their harvest before eating. There’s no evidence yet that CWD can transfer from cervid to human but Zabel told me,

“I would definitely not want to be the reference case. I don’t want to be patient zero.”

This past year, Idaho Fish and Game released hunting guidelines to reduce the spread of CWD . The agency also offers free testing kits for hunters to help track the disease by sending in samples of their game.

A Boise-based trust and wealth management services company is expanding its footprint in the industry.

Idaho Trust Company announced on Jan. 6 that it had entered into an agreement with Bank of Idaho to acquire the latter company’s Trust and Wealth Management Division. The acquisition will expand Idaho Trust into eastern Idaho.

Idaho Trust stated that the move will help it expand its footprint in the trust and wealth management sector, “aligning with the organization’s growth strategy and commitment to delivering custom trust and wealth management services to individuals, families and businesses, the acquisition ensures Bank of Idaho Trust and Wealth Management clients will benefit from expanded service offerings, ensuring a seamless transition and wider array of financial solutions.”

Thomas Prohaska, chairman and president of Idaho Trust called the acquisition an “exciting opportunity,” that will allow his company to reach a new group of clients.

“We are honored to welcome the new team and their clients into our family and are committed to providing them with the tailored solutions, enhanced resources and the personalized service they are accustomed to,” he said.

The acquisition will also allow Bank of Idaho to focus on its commercial and personal banking products and services.

“Our priority has always been to provide our customers with the best possible financial solutions,” said Jeff Newgard, chairman, president and CEO of Bank of Idaho. “By transitioning our Trust and Wealth Management Division to Idaho Trust, we are confident our clients will benefit from an expanded suite of services and the exceptional expertise of a team widely recognized for their dedication to trust and wealth management. We deeply appreciate the trust our clients have placed in us and are committed to supporting them through this transition.”

Bank of Idaho clients are being informed of the acquisition and transition process, and it is expected to close the first quarter of 2025.

The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Public Library is kicking off its 11th year of its Extreme Book Nerd program Tuesday night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Those interested can come to the library during the kickoff event to get sneak peek of this year’s reading categories. Wednesday morning the Extreme Book Nerd challenge begins where participants are tasked with reading 25 to 50 books between Jan. 8 and Dec. 20, 2025, with the number of books dependent on the participants’ age. Idaho Falls and community must have a valid library membership to participate.

“Extreme Book Nerd is a fun way to explore the world through reading this year,” said Beth Swenson, Idaho Falls Public Library assistant director over community engagement. “You don’t have to be an expert reader to gain a love of picking up a book and plus it’s a great way to challenge yourself over the year.”

The library began the Extreme Book Nerd program in 2015 to encourage our patrons to read and use their library. Since its conception the program has expanded to several challenges to reach the abilities of readers of varying ages.

• Extreme Book Nerd: This program is for adults. There are 50 categories that staff have designated for this year. Patrons read one book per category, and one category per book.
• Extreme Book Nerd – Teens: Teens (ages 12-17) are given 26 categories to choose from, but are only required to read 25 books.
• Extreme Book Nerd for Kids!: Kids must be independent readers. They are also given 26 categories and choose 25 of them.
• Extreme Book Nerd Your Way: There are variations of this program for each age group (kids, teens, adults). Patrons read 50 books of their choosing.

Adults and teens who complete the Extreme Book Nerd program in 2025 will receive a hoodie with the Extreme Book Nerd Logo. Kids who are independent readers who finish the challenge will receive a fuzzy blanket, also with an Extreme Book Nerd logo.

While official participation in the Extreme Book Nerd challenge is restricted to Idaho Falls Public Library patrons only, everyone is welcome to follow along with the challenge in their home communities and discuss the books they are reading. Need a library membership? Visit the IFPL website HERE for more information on how to obtain one.