'Zombie deer' threatening to invade US state
'Zombie deer' threatening to invade US state
The contagious terminal illness has been compared to mad cow disease in cattle, making the deer lethargic, thin and extremely weak
It may sound like the setup for a low budget horror film, but wildlife officials have warned of the genuine threat of zombie deer.
Regulators are working overtime to stop the afflicted animals from reaching Nevada, worried that the chronic wasting disease that gives them their name could make them a danger to humans.
The highly contagious terminal illness has been compared to mad cow disease in cattle and makes the deer lethargic and extremely weak - but also neutralises their usual fear of people.
It is transmitted by protein particles that cause irreparable damage to brain tissue, and has the potential to wipe out entire populations of deer, moose and elk.
Dead animals are being tested for signs of the disease in Utah, which borders Nevada, and cases have already been reported in Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.
The national health protection agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, believes the virus could be a risk to humans, with protein particles having been linked to the similarly degenerative Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
According to a study by the Center for Food Security and Public Health, symptoms take at least 16 months to reveal themselves after exposure and the average incubation period is two to four years.
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We've posted similar stories before but this seems to be spreading to other areas now, and they are also admitting that the meat could pass this to humans. Be aware.
'Zombie deer' threatening to invade US state
The contagious terminal illness has been compared to mad cow disease in cattle, making the deer lethargic, thin and extremely weak
It may sound like the setup for a low budget horror film, but wildlife officials have warned of the genuine threat of zombie deer.
Regulators are working overtime to stop the afflicted animals from reaching Nevada, worried that the chronic wasting disease that gives them their name could make them a danger to humans.
The highly contagious terminal illness has been compared to mad cow disease in cattle and makes the deer lethargic and extremely weak - but also neutralises their usual fear of people.
It is transmitted by protein particles that cause irreparable damage to brain tissue, and has the potential to wipe out entire populations of deer, moose and elk.
Dead animals are being tested for signs of the disease in Utah, which borders Nevada, and cases have already been reported in Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.
The national health protection agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, believes the virus could be a risk to humans, with protein particles having been linked to the similarly degenerative Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
According to a study by the Center for Food Security and Public Health, symptoms take at least 16 months to reveal themselves after exposure and the average incubation period is two to four years.
____________
We've posted similar stories before but this seems to be spreading to other areas now, and they are also admitting that the meat could pass this to humans. Be aware.
