Researchers have reported that the onset of a deadly disease may be slow, but it has the potential to cause significant harm to the deer population in British Columbia over time, following the discovery of the initial cases in the province. The concerns arose after the British Columbia government confirmed two instances of chronic wasting disease in animals located south of Cranbrook in the Kootenay region.
In a statement from the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, it was revealed that the cases were identified in a mule deer hunted by a hunter and in a white-tailed deer that was struck by a vehicle. Testing by a Canadian Food Inspection Agency lab confirmed the diagnosis of chronic wasting disease on January 31st.
Debbie McKenzie, a biological sciences professor at the University of Alberta, has stated that the disease has the potential to reduce deer populations because infected animals are initially difficult to identify and do not survive for more than two years after becoming infected. She stated that experimental data indicates that the disease could theoretically affect other species, such as humans, although there have been no known cases of transmission beyond the deer family, which includes elk, caribou, and moose.
The B.C. government mentioned that there is no direct evidence of chronic wasting disease being transmitted to humans. Health Canada and the World Health Organization have recommended that people should not consume infected animals. In addition, anyone who observes an elk, deer, moose, or caribou showing symptoms of the disease is encouraged to report the sighting to the B.C. Wildlife Health Program.
The B.C. Wildlife Federation revealed that the disease is spread between regions through the transport of carcasses or contaminated hay. The disease affects an animal’s central nervous system and results in cell death in the brain, with a 100% fatality rate and no known treatment.
Ms. McKenzie has noted that the spread of the disease into B.C. is not unexpected given the shared borders with Alberta and Montana, and it is highly likely that more cases will emerge. Alberta Fish and Wildlife provincial disease specialist Margo Pybus added that while the B.C. cases were not surprising, they were disappointing considering the efforts to combat the spread. Both experts emphasized the slow-moving nature of the disease and the significant long-term impact it has on deer populations. They also highlighted the ongoing research and efforts aimed at controlling the disease.