Is CWD the Imminent Doom for Hunting?

[Fordguy]

I have no conspiracy theories. It is a disease of cervids, not humans. I has been present, that we know of, for nearly 60 years. In those 60 years there has never been a documented case in humans. There has never been a documented case of CWD in any animal other than cervids. Not in wolves or mtn lions that make a living eating deer. That eat a very large number of older, or sick, or incapacitated deer. Deer you might assume have CWD.

Sorry, diseases that don't affect humans don't scare me. Oh but the potential. Yes, keep clutching the pearls. If I were overly concerned about all the potential out there I'd never leave the house. If you are really that concerned about potential, you should not kill or eat any deer. Remember, there is no such thing as a negative deer, only not detected. So you are potentially eating prions in every one that you kill.

I'm not an expert on the disease. On the other hand I have a pretty good grasp of epidemiology, diseases, and animal health. CWD isn't all that concerning to me or the health of my family .

Do you remember when the Brittish publicly announced that it was safe to consume beef from cattle with BSE?

 

[jmez]

I don't and didn't assume anything about anyone. I simple gave my thoughts on the disease.

 

[jmez]

Do you remember when the Brittish publicly announced that it was safe to consume beef from cattle with BSE?

Was it around that time that CWD was shown to infect people?

 

[Fordguy]

Was it around that time that CWD was shown to infect people?

*face-palm. Enjoy your CWD positive backstraps.

 

[jmez]

Says the guy that wants to keep it factual.

In that spirit, there is no such thing as a negative backstrap, only positive and not detected. Not detected does not mean negative.

If not detected chases away the boogey man then you can enjoy your possibly positive backstraps the same as I.

 

[Fordguy]

I don't and didn't assume anything about anyone. I simple gave my thoughts on the disease.

You also presented a veterinarian's thoughts to lend credence to your own.
If you really want to go that route, I have about a dozen Vets, some in the family, others long time friends- who strongly advise against consuming anything that you know has a prion disease.

Your vet also says that CWD behaves as expected for a disease with a 100% fatality rate. Do you know of any other cervid diseases with a 100% fatality rate that take years to kill the animal, allow the animal to shed contagion the entire time it's infected, do not require a vector to spread, and can remain active in the environment without a host for decades?

Thats an honest question, if there are any other cervid diseases out there with those characteristics, i don't know about them.

 

[Fordguy]

Says the guy that wants to keep it factual.

In that spirit, there is no such thing as a negative backstrap, only positive and not detected. Not detected does not mean negative.

If not detected chases away the boogey man then you can enjoy your possibly positive backstraps the same as I.

Exactly. Not detected means it's either not present or at levels too low for the test to reveal. Either of which are safer than making the choice to knowingly consume an animal with a prion disease. Facts.

 

[Drenalin]

You also presented a veterinarian's thoughts to lend credence to your own.
If you really want to go that route, I have about a dozen Vets, some in the family, others long time friends- who strongly advise against consuming anything that you know has a prion disease.

Your vet also says that CWD behaves as expected for a disease with a 100% fatality rate. Do you know of any other cervid diseases with a 100% fatality rate that take years to kill the animal, allow the animal to shed contagion the entire time it's infected, do not require a vector to spread, and can remain active in the environment without a host for decades?

Thats an honest question, if there are any other cervid diseases out there with those characteristics, i don't know about them.

I think @jmez was saying he is a vet (erinarian, not eran)

 

[Fordguy]

Lol. Not sure how i misinterpreted that.

 

[KurtR]

8, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is providing approximately $12 million to state and Tribal partners to further develop and implement Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management and response activities in wild and farmed cervids (e.g., deer, elk).

 

[Bobrobheimer]

My understanding is that the current science suggests that it’s likely possible for the stars to align and allow a human infection (there are different varieties within the various Cervid species and genes can plan a role in susceptibility) but that it’s statistically very unlikely. As others have pointed out the prions are in the environment such that even a non meat eater might get some small exposure, but if it’s a statistical risk then the level of exposure is relevant. Testing your animals isn’t a negative, and eating those “not detected” animals might expose one to some number of the prions, but it will be less than if you eat positive animals and therefore reduce risk further - likely to the point where it’s vanishingly small.

Another factor to consider is that prion disease in humans can have an extremely long incubation. If CWD were to jump we don’t know how it would present or how long that would take - but it could be decades. If you are already old then probably not such a concern. If you are feeding it to young kids… more to consider.

 

[Flyjunky]

How about all those who will not eat a positive cwd animal just stop hunting in any area where there has been a reported cwd case? How do you know the animal you're puling the trigger on isn't infected? Why take the chance and just waste an animal?

Maybe that would bring down point creep in areas I hunt that have had cwd cases....win/win for everyone.

 

[Hoove]

I fear if hunting slows or worse stops CWD will get worse if what Missouri Dept of Conservation says about concentration of population does.

 

[HvyBeams]

Why would the incubation period for CWD be decades for humans, but a short 2-6 years for antlered game? It didn't take decades for BSE to jump to humans.

 

[jmez]

Exactly. Not detected means it's either not present or at levels too low for the test to reveal. Either of which are safer than making the choice to knowingly consume an animal with a prion disease. Facts.

Please provide a reference for this fact. Along with the reference proving, not potential danger, that it is dangerous to consume a CWD infected animal.

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[Fordguy]

I think the best anyone can do is make an informed choice on (any of the many) issues involving CWD. One of the frustrating.things is that so many people either don't know about it, or are very misinformed. If you know the risks (even if you choose not to acknowledge them as such) and choose to proceed accordingly, that's as much as anyone can ask of you.

 

[jmez]

I think the best anyone can do is make an informed choice on (any of the many) issues involving CWD. One of the frustrating.things is that so many people either don't know about it, or are very misinformed. If you know the risks (even if you choose not to acknowledge them as such) and choose to proceed accordingly, that's as much as anyone can ask of you.

I absolutely agree with this statement.

If you want to use evidence and facts there are very few discussions to be had with CWD. The vast majority of "information" is opinion based on correlation and because it seems logical. Correlation does not equal causation. And yes, the veterinarian's thoughts would be my own.

 

[Fordguy]

Please provide a reference for this fact. Along with the reference proving, not potential danger, that it is dangerous to consume a CWD infected animal.

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Do you understand risk management and probability?
You're taking a calculated risk by consuming it, betting that you're not susceptible, I'm reducing my exposure and risk by either not consuming it or consuming far less of it.

 

[Bobrobheimer]

Why would the incubation period for CWD be decades for humans, but a short 2-6 years for antlered game? It didn't take decades for BSE to jump to humans.

I am no expert but when I researched it that’s what I recall and here is what a quick google search just now provided:

 

[jmez]

What is the risk and probability of consuming CWD positive vs CWD not detected? Are you not taking a calculated risk by consuming venison, regardless of the test result. Is it really higher on an untested animal? Is it really higher on a positive animal? Is there any evidence whatsoever that I am susceptible to a disease that we know has been present for 56 years yet has never been confirmed in a human?

What is the MID for cervids? What is the MID for humans? How do you quantify risk and probabliity for contracting a disease that to date, does not infect humans? How do you quantify risk and probability for a disease when they have no idea how it it even transmitted between what we know are susceptible species and they have no idea with the MID is?