A fatal disease known as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), or “zombie deer” disease, is raising alarms among experts due to its potential to infect humans.
Scientists have long warned about this disease, which affects deer and other animals by causing severe neurological damage. Symptoms include confusion, excessive drooling, and loss of fear toward humans. While no human cases have been confirmed, researchers caution that future infections are possible.
Cooking does not eliminate the threat
A report funded by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources highlights the growing threat of CWD spreading to humans. Experts warn that hunters handling infected deer or consuming venison could be at risk.
Cooking infected meat does not eliminate the danger, as the harmful proteins, known as prions, are resistant to heat and may even become more concentrated during the cooking process.
How the disease spreads
CWD is caused by prions—misfolded proteins in the brain and nervous system that trigger other proteins to misfold. This creates a chain reaction that disrupts cell communication and leads to severe brain damage.
The disease spreads among animals through saliva, blood, urine, or feces. Some researchers believe contaminated soil and water could also transmit prions.
Wild and domestic pigs at risk
Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, expressed concerns about the disease’s spread to wild pigs, which have reportedly consumed infected meat. He warned that if CWD jumps to domestic pigs, the impact could be catastrophic for the pork industry and public health.
“If they can get infected, surely it’s possible domestic swine could also become infected? What would that do to the swine market? What would that do to the cattle market? These are huge issues,” Osterholm said in an interview.
CWD’s growing presence in the U.S.
CWD has been detected in at least 33 U.S. states, including Wyoming, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. The disease has a near 100% fatality rate in deer, and there are currently no vaccines or treatments available.
Experts are particularly worried about diseases in pigs, as their cells closely resemble those of humans, increasing the risk of cross-species infection.
Doctors are warning about a chronic wasting disease that turns deer, elk and moose into “zombie-like” animals. pic.twitter.com/xgID3XMYd6
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) February 13, 2019
Hunting plays a significant role in the spread of CWD. An estimated six million deer are harvested annually in the U.S., while 1.5 billion pigs are consumed worldwide. Researchers warn that greater vigilance is needed to prevent the disease from reaching farm animals and potentially spreading to humans.
Call for increased vigilance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports there have been no human cases of CWD identified so far. However, they emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring and research.
A previous scare in 2024 linked CWD to cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare brain disorder, but researchers found no direct evidence of a connection.
Experts are calling for increased funding to halt CWD’s spread and to study the disease more thoroughly. They warn that new strains of prions could emerge, potentially making human infection more likely. Public health officials urge caution when handling or consuming wild game to minimize exposure to infected animals.
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