Chronic wasting disease (CWD) remains a mysterious ailment for wildlife managers, biologists and scientists. The neurological disease affects the nervous systems of deer, elk and moose, and is always fatal.
Researchers historically attributed CWD transmission to direct animal-to-animal contact, contact with saliva, feces or carcass parts of an infected animal, or through contaminated soil.
However, a new study shows transmission may happen via a previously undiscovered method. A research team examined white-tailed deer from Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia and found mounting evidence that CWD transmission took place from mother to offspring during pregnancy.
“This work confirms previous experimental and field findings in several cervid species supporting vertical transmission as an additional mechanism of CWD transmission and may help to further explain the facile dissemination of this disease among captive and free-ranging cervid populations,” according to the study’s authors.
There is no known cure for CWD, which wildlife officials confirmed in 36 states and five Canadian provinces across North America.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a founding member and sponsor of the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance. Along with other partners, RMEF also helped create the CWD Applied Research Program, which brings together top CWD researchers and managers to identify the highest priority research that will impact CWD management.
Since 1995, RMEF supplied more than $800,000 to state agencies and other partners for CWD surveillance, management, research and outreach.
(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)