Chronic Wasting Disease Attack Michigan Deer Farm as Two Female Deer Test CWD Positive

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At a deer farm in Mecosta County, Mich two deer have been tested positive for the chronic wasting disease. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development released news on Friday that two female deer at a fenced agricultural facility west of Mt. Pleasant have confirmed CWD.

This is the second time the deer at Mecosta County farm have been found CWD positive. The first time it was in 2008 in Kent County where white-tailed deer suffered from this neurological disease.

The state conducted CWD surveillance program obtained sampled from the two deer as part of its monitoring program. All the licensed facilities for dear farms in Michigan must take part in CVWD monitoring, reports Up North Live.

Reports are available that CWD can affect humans. That is why Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest extensive studies are needed to monitor the possibility of the human being affected by CWD. The epidemiological study warns the hunters to avoid eating a deer's CWD agents like spleen, brain, eyes, lymph nodes, spinal cord etc. as they harbor the disease.

CWD is a serious neurological disorder that can attack both farmed and free-living deer, says MDARD State Veterinarian James Averill, DVM. He also assured that the state is taking necessary steps to fight CWD in deer and protect the health of the deer population at Michigan, reports Lansing State Journal.

Finding wild animal heritage suffering from CWD is very disappointing says DNR deer specialist Chad Stewart said in an interview. But he is optimistic from the fact that the infected animals were behind the fence. He added that every hunted deer will be tested all around the nine-township area around the game farm this coming fall.

Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disorder, highly contagious that can affect moose, elk, deer etc. As the disease is fatal, its outbreak can threaten state's entire deer population and other cervids. Moreover, for decades, recreational hunting will be affected badly.