Dave Richey: CWD our worst nightmare

The worst disease any sportsman, deer-lover or right-thinking conservationist could imagine has arrived in this state. No one yet knows whether the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) found in one deer on a game farm near Grand Rapids has spread to other pen-raised deer.

This could be our worst nightmare come true, and I once wrote for The Detroit News that CWD can make Bovine TB look like a mild case of the flu. The trick now is to contain the disease, and deal with the aftermath, whatever that may be.

A deer was found last Monday to have this horrible disease. It is very contagious with repeat exposures, and it is always fatal. It infects the brain and spinal cord of captive and free-ranging cervids (deer, elk, moose and red deer).

The Department of Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture has confirmed that a three-year-old deer was found in Kent County. DNR spokeswoman Mary Dettloff said Tuesday, following Monday's discovery of the infected animal.

"The DNR acted immediately to implement provisions of the state's surveillance and response plan for CWD," she said. "Among the provisions is an immediate ban on all baiting and feeding of deer and elk in the Lower Peninsula."

She said state conservation officers will step up surveillance and enforcement efforts on baiting. The DNR feels that baiting and feeding causes deer to congregate in close contact with other animals, which increases the possible transmission of contagious diseases. Bait and feed sites increase the likelihood that those areas will become contaminated with the feces of infected animals, which makes such areas a possible source of CWD infection for many years to come.

CWD has been found in Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Wyoming and Wisconsin.

Dettloff said the provisions of CWD control include a mandatory deer check for hunters who take a deer this fall within Tyrone, Solon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield and Cannon townships of Kent County. This surveillance area, also called a "hot zone," means that any deer taken within this area must be taken to a DNR deer check station so the animal can be tested.

"We are currently looking for key locations for additional deer check states," she said. "We want to make it as convenient as possible for hunters. To prevent the unintentional spread of CWD, the only parts of deer taken in the surveillance zone that can be removed from the area will be boned-out meat, capes, and antlers cleaned of soft tissue.

Statewide transport of live deer, elk and moose will be prohibited. This, the DNR says, includes transport for rehabilitation purposes. There is no live animal test for CWD, and infected animals often show no sign of illness for years, even though they are infected. Any movement of an infected animal may help spread the disease to other animals in other locations.

DNR officials reminded concerned citizens that there is no evidence that CWD poses a health risk to humans, nor has there been verified evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans. See the accompanying sidebar for a few common sense precautions.

"The most difficult thing about CWD is determining if an animal has it," said DNR veterinarian Steve Schmitt. "There are no early warning signs, no cure, no vaccine, and symptoms do not develop for 16-36 months after infection has set in.

"All of the deer at the Kent County facility were killed Tuesday. We hope this ends the problem, but it's much too early to tell."

Schmitt said the DNR has checked 22,000 deer skulls and neck lymph nodes for bovine TB without encountering a case of CWD. He hopes the Kent County animal was never exposed to free-ranging deer, but says the check stations will continue checking animals in the hot zone.

An Interim Order has been instituted to eliminate all baiting and feeding of cervids in the Lower Peninsula. An Interim Order by DNR Director Becky Humphries is in place for at least six months, and can be lifted or kept in place for a longer period of time, but there will not be any baiting during the 2008-2009 deer seasons.

"I think this is a knee-jerk reaction," said Jim Gauthier of Gauthier's Archery, south of Chum's Corners in Traverse City. "Hunters do not want to see this disease spread, and we hope it can be contained. I want our deer herd to be clean, and the 2008 deer hunting season will be interesting.

"Who knows how many hunters will quit deer hunting because they can't bait. The lack of baiting will hit the older hunters the hardest because they are accustomed to hunting from ground blinds. It's very possible they will have to change hunting locations. Many won't do it."

Dettloff said the DNR will immediately test an additional 300 deer within Kent County's hot zone. They will be cooperating with local officials to collect fresh road-killed deer, and will be urging deer hunters participating in the early antlerless season on private land in September to comply with the mandatory deer check.

"Landowners in Kent County's hot zone who would like to obtain disease control permits to cull deer from their property and assist with the collection of deer for testing should contact the Wildlife Disease Lab at (517) 336-5030," she said. "Permits will be available immediately upon request. Landowners who do not want to cull deer, but want to participate in the collection of deer for testing, can obtain assistance from the DNR."

CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Most cases of the disease have been found in western states, but in the past several years, it has spread to midwestern and eastern states. The DNR says that infected animals display abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and a progressive weight loss.

Current evidences suggests that the disease is transmitted through infectious, self-multiplying proteins (prions). Prions are normal cell proteins whose shape has been transformed, causing CWD.

"The disease is transmitted by exposure to saliva of infected animals. Susceptible animals can also acquire CWD by eating feces from an infected animal or from soil contaminated. Once soil has been contaminated, it can remain a source of infection for many years.

"This can be a terrible blow to Michigan's deer herd and deer hunters," said Mike DiLorenzo of Clinton Township. "I'm grateful the DNR and Department of Agriculture is right on top of this situation. People will have to learn again how to hunt without bait. They will be forced to hunt trails, scrapes and known deer crossing areas. CWD will change the whole complexion of deer hunting in this state."

What: Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal and contagious disease that infects the brain and spinal cord of captive and free-ranging deer, elk, moose and red deer.

Where: The only known source of CWD in this state was discovered last Monday at a private deer facility in Kent County.

Symptoms: An infected animal, in the final stages of this disease, might show one or all of these symptoms: chronic pneumonia, dehydration, difficulty in swallowing, disorientation, excessive saliva (drooling), grinding of teeth, increased drinking and/or urination, inability to stand, lack of coordination, little or no fear of humans, loss of bodily functions, nervousness, paralysis, repetitive motions, dull-colored and rough body hair, thinness (ribs and hip bones often are showing), trembling or twitching.

Duration of disease: The disease takes 16 to 36 months from initial infection to death. The animals simply waste away. There is no cure or vaccine. Even after death and carcass decomposition, the disease could remain present in the soil, and other animals could become infected.

Human health: Department of Agriculture representatives say there doesn't seem to be any danger of eating meat from an infected animal. It's recommended that hunters wear rubbler gloves when field dressing deer or elk, and the meat should be boned out. The cut meat should be frozen before consumption. Hunters should look for any abnormalities and report any animal that do not look or act normal.

Michigan's plans: The Department of Agriculture will identify and trace all captive animals, especially if they came from the Grand Rapids-area facility. Deer killed by cars, plus deer taken by hunters, will be inspected at designated check stations. A quarantine is in effect prohibiting any travel of captive deer, and deer found at any facility will all be killed. A Director's Interim Order has eliminated all baiting and feeding of deer for six months in the Lower Peninsula although such orders can be changed as the DNR Directors deems appropriate.

Bear baiting: The state's baiting orders also will affect Lower Peninsula bear hunters. New rules for baiting bears include:

-- No grains, minerals, salt, fruits, vegetables, hay, or any other food materials, whether natural or manufactured, which may lure, entice or attract deer.

-- Foods found scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural planting or harvesting practices, foods available to deer through normal agricultural practices of livestock feeding if the area is occupied by livestock actively consuming the feed on a daily basis, or standing farm crops under normal agricultural practices are not subject to the ban.

-- Baiting is defined in the Wildlife Order as placing, depositing, tending, distributing, or scattering bait to aid in the taking of a deer.

Photos

Dave Richey

Chronic wasting disease is a concern for deer hunters across the state. Special to the Record-Eagle