Tom Morang
04-07-2002, 11:54 PM
04-07-02
Michigan officials concerned about deer and 'chronic wasting disease'
By Nikki Sattler-The Reporter
BRANCH COUNTY - A new threat is menacing the deer herds in Branch County and throughout the state. By now everyone in Michigan is familiar with bovine tuberculosis, but now a lesser known disease that has washed through the western portion of the nation is coming this way in a hurry. The disease affecting deer is known as chronic wasting disease, and is a relative of mad cow disease.
"It became an issue in our area about three weeks ago," Michigan Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Brad Wurfle said Thursday. That was when the neighboring state of Wisconsin found out that it now harbors the disease, which creates the equivalent of holes in the brains of the deer and elk it affects. As of yet, no deer have been discovered in Michigan with the disease.
"It's a pretty serious situation," Wurfle said.
The situation started in Alberta, Canada, over 40 years ago, likely at a captive elk park. Elk horns in velvet are a valuable commodity in Korea, and the business was booming until the Korean government discovered the disease in the imported horns. Trade was immediately stopped. At around the same time, animals were imported from Alberta to western states in the U.S., where elk hunting is a booming business. The disease has spread from there.
"Traditionally chronic wasting disease has been a disease of the West," Wurfle noted. But now Michigan has to decide what to do to keep it from spreading into the state, which has become a real possibility. Just days after the discovery of the disease was announced in Wisconsin, Michigan legislators banned importation of deer and elk from that state.
And while "chronic wasting disease has not been shown to affect humans," Wurfle reassures, it is a serious threat to the state's healthy deer herds. "We don't have it in Michigan." And the DNR intends for it to stay that way. "This poses a serious threat. We don't want to have to deal with this reactively so we're taking proactive steps," Wurfle explained.
"Our biologists have been in touch with biologists in those states (with the disease)," he said. And the state "will likely work with Wisconsin to make sure this doesn't reach Michigan." Wurfle added Michigan deer have been checked since the Wisconsin discovery and have been found disease-free.
Chronic wasting disease is a form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. It is transferred through contact and shared areas, so that captive populations are naturally more susceptible. Symptoms include drooling, and loss of fear of humans, as well as an increase in food and water intake. However no mater how much the animal eats, it still loses weight and eventually starves, since its body can no longer produce the protein it needs. Affected animals often stand listless and staring for extended period of time, oblivious to events surrounding them. This is all very much the same as mad cow disease, but the diseases do have one significant difference. Animals with mad cow disease can be tested and diagnosed while still alive, while "the only way to know with chronic wasting disease is to depopulate (or kill) the animal and examine the brain," Wurfle said.
Definite plans on how to handle this new crisis are still fluid, but "we will be solidifying our plan as we work with Wisconsin," Wurfle said. Still, there are some definite goals already.
"We plan to begin testing more stringently this year," Wurfle said. He added that the depopulation of about 500 deer is also planned.
Michigan officials concerned about deer and 'chronic wasting disease'
By Nikki Sattler-The Reporter
BRANCH COUNTY - A new threat is menacing the deer herds in Branch County and throughout the state. By now everyone in Michigan is familiar with bovine tuberculosis, but now a lesser known disease that has washed through the western portion of the nation is coming this way in a hurry. The disease affecting deer is known as chronic wasting disease, and is a relative of mad cow disease.
"It became an issue in our area about three weeks ago," Michigan Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Brad Wurfle said Thursday. That was when the neighboring state of Wisconsin found out that it now harbors the disease, which creates the equivalent of holes in the brains of the deer and elk it affects. As of yet, no deer have been discovered in Michigan with the disease.
"It's a pretty serious situation," Wurfle said.
The situation started in Alberta, Canada, over 40 years ago, likely at a captive elk park. Elk horns in velvet are a valuable commodity in Korea, and the business was booming until the Korean government discovered the disease in the imported horns. Trade was immediately stopped. At around the same time, animals were imported from Alberta to western states in the U.S., where elk hunting is a booming business. The disease has spread from there.
"Traditionally chronic wasting disease has been a disease of the West," Wurfle noted. But now Michigan has to decide what to do to keep it from spreading into the state, which has become a real possibility. Just days after the discovery of the disease was announced in Wisconsin, Michigan legislators banned importation of deer and elk from that state.
And while "chronic wasting disease has not been shown to affect humans," Wurfle reassures, it is a serious threat to the state's healthy deer herds. "We don't have it in Michigan." And the DNR intends for it to stay that way. "This poses a serious threat. We don't want to have to deal with this reactively so we're taking proactive steps," Wurfle explained.
"Our biologists have been in touch with biologists in those states (with the disease)," he said. And the state "will likely work with Wisconsin to make sure this doesn't reach Michigan." Wurfle added Michigan deer have been checked since the Wisconsin discovery and have been found disease-free.
Chronic wasting disease is a form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. It is transferred through contact and shared areas, so that captive populations are naturally more susceptible. Symptoms include drooling, and loss of fear of humans, as well as an increase in food and water intake. However no mater how much the animal eats, it still loses weight and eventually starves, since its body can no longer produce the protein it needs. Affected animals often stand listless and staring for extended period of time, oblivious to events surrounding them. This is all very much the same as mad cow disease, but the diseases do have one significant difference. Animals with mad cow disease can be tested and diagnosed while still alive, while "the only way to know with chronic wasting disease is to depopulate (or kill) the animal and examine the brain," Wurfle said.
Definite plans on how to handle this new crisis are still fluid, but "we will be solidifying our plan as we work with Wisconsin," Wurfle said. Still, there are some definite goals already.
"We plan to begin testing more stringently this year," Wurfle said. He added that the depopulation of about 500 deer is also planned.