Virginia Department of Game: And Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer

While the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries reports this:

"...the Department's surveillance efforts provide a high degree of confidence that CWD is not present in Virginia's deer herd. Also compared to many other states, Virginia lacks several significant risk factors typically associated with CWD; in particular, steps have been taken to address CWD risk factors associated with captive deer in Virginia."


They have previously reported in a news release that CWD has been found in deer ten miles from the Virginia boarder, but that does not appear on the main page of their website. Previously, we have reported on this here, and the possible risks of human transmission.

As can be seen from my previous sited post (on this here, look in the previous paragraph), CWD is a little understood disease, similar to Mad Cow Disease. It has been the tack of the CDC to downplay the possibility of human transmission. However, in their laboratory studies transmission to primates have proved possible. The incubation period in primates can be as long as three years. This means that symptoms would not show up for a great period of time. And the cause of a similar disease in humans may not be easily seen from coming from deer, or eating venison, because of the lengthy incubation period.

Here is the latest release from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries:

VDGIF ANNOUNCES CWD INFORMATION MEETINGS

Richmond, VA — The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) will be holding public information meetings to provide an overview of the Department's response to the report in September of the first confirmed case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a white-tailed deer in West Virginia. The deer was found in Hampshire County, West Virginia, 10 miles from the Virginia state line. This prompted the Department to activate part of its CWD Response Plan, which will result in increased CWD surveillance especially in northwest Virginia.

These meetings will provide background information about CWD, and will provide a summary of the Department's planned CWD surveillance activities. In particular, VDGIF staff will be describing how hunters and the general public can assist the Department with this effort, and there will be an opportunity to ask questions.

All interested members of the public are encouraged to attend as well as visit our Web site at www.dgif.virginia.gov for information about CWD and these meetings.

October 3, 2005
Woodstock
Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors' meeting room
600 North Main St., Woodstock
7 p.m.

October 5, 2005
Loudoun County
Town office in the council chambers
130 E. Main Street, Purcellville
7 p.m.

October 6, 2005
Winchester
Frederick County Board of Supervisors' meeting room
107 North Kent St., Winchester
7 p.m.