SUSSEX CO., Del. - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has announced Delaware’s first case of Chronic Wasting Disease after a white-tailed deer killed in Sussex County tested positive for the disease.
Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, is a fatal disease that attacks the brain and nervous system of deer, elk, and moose, according to DNREC, and is caused by infectious proteins called prions. Researchers say the disease is believed to spread through bodily fluids through direct contact or through contaminated soil, food, or water. There are currently no treatments or vaccines.
DNREC says CWD has never previously been found in Delaware or on Delmarva as a whole.
The white-tailed deer that tested positive was harvested by a hunter and tested as part of routine surveillance, according to DNREC. A second white-tailed deer, also harvested in Sussex County, has tested presumptive positive.
“Although there is no known transmission to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hunters who harvest deer, including white-tailed, red, sika, or mule, elk or moose from an area where CWD has been confirmed have their animals tested for CWD before consuming the meat,” DNREC said in a statement on Tuesday. “Meat from an animal that tests positive should not be eaten.”
DNREC has put its CWD Response Plan into effect following the confirmed case of CWD and will begin sampling deer within a five-mile radius around where the infected deer was harvested. Hunters who have harvested deer in the area may be contacted directly, DNREC says.
DNREC's CWD Management Area currently encompasses wildlife management zones 14 and 16.
Should more deer test positive, DNREC says the response area will be expanded and additional sampling will occur. Officials say they plan to hold a community meeting near the detection area to keep residents informed. During the next deer hunting season, DNREC says they will require mandatory deer check-in at wildlife health check stations and may enact new regulations to reduce the disease’s spread.
David Fletcher of Nanticoke Outfitters said the confirmed case is serious, but not something hunters should panic over. Fletcher, a hunter and guide who said he has studied the disease through his Deer Steward Certification with the National Deer Association, said the biggest concern is the long-term impact on the local deer herd.
“It is real first of all. And it is a big deal,” Fletcher said. “It’s a big deal because it is something that can ultimately hurt our deer herd.”
Fletcher said the case may be the first one confirmed in Delaware, but he suspects the disease could have already been present before now.
“We have our first confirmed case in Delaware. It’s been here, I would be willing to bet we’ve already had it,” Fletcher said.
Still, he said hunters should focus on awareness, monitoring deer closely and not overreacting.
“Don’t ignore it. Be aware and pay attention,” Fletcher said.
Fletcher added that on the Eastern Shore, many hunters know the deer on their properties well enough to notice when something appears abnormal, and said trail cameras can be an important tool in spotting potential warning signs. He said hunters who suspect a deer may be sick should get it tested rather than assume the problem will go away.
Maryland DNR Deer Project Leader Kevin Lamp said the disease builds up over time in an infected animal’s body and can eventually cause visible symptoms including severe weight loss, abnormal behavior and excessive salivation.
“You’ll see symptoms such as emaciation, deer that are maybe staring off into the distance, have this glazed over look in their eyes,” Lamp said. “They may, you may see a lot of salivation.”
Lamp said biologists generally do not like the phrase “zombie deer disease,” which is sometimes used to describe CWD.
“As biologists, we don’t like that term, because, you know, it makes it seem as though the disease is grander than it is,” Lamp said.
For hunters in Maryland, Lamp said guidance on deer handling, processing and disease prevention is already available through Maryland DNR, and he encouraged people to educate themselves on best practices.
To help reduce risk, Lamp said hunters should keep workspaces clean, sanitize equipment and properly dispose of high-risk deer parts rather than moving them around.
Lamp also said Maryland has not detected chronic wasting disease on the Lower Eastern Shore, but the state will likely increase surveillance in response to Delaware’s first confirmed case. He said Maryland collected about 158 chronic wasting disease samples this past year in Dorchester, Wicomico and Worcester counties.
DNREC offers the following tips on slowing the spread of CWD:
-Do not move live deer.
-Do not feed, bait or provide water for wild deer.
-Dispose of carcasses from Delaware at the landfill and do not bring whole carcasses into Delaware from out of state, nor move whole carcasses outside the CWD Management Area.
-Report sick or abnormal deer using DNREC’s Sick and Injured Wildlife Reporting Form. Signs may include weight loss, poor coordination, drooping ears, drooling, difficulty swallowing and frequent urination.
-Do not shoot, handle or eat animals that look sick or act strangely.
-Avoid touching or eating meat from animals discovered dead in the environment.
-Use synthetic deer urine products instead of natural ones and avoid pouring natural deer urine on the ground.
For more information on CWD and Delaware’s response, click here.
