a hunter's guide to understanding chronic wasting disease system prions are abnormal proteins...

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING

Prion Disease affects the central nervous system

Prions are

abnormal proteins

that attack brain

cells and leave

holes in the tissue

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

Prion Disease affects the central nervous system

Always fatal Long term

population impacts


CWD is a type of disease called a TSE Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy

BSE (Mad Cow), Scrapie, TME are all TSEs very different diseases - do not cross species


Human form of a TSE


Human form of a TSE

• CJD and CWD are different diseases but both TSEs – prion diseases

• No direct evidence that humans can get CWD

• There has never been a human case of CWD


The only species susceptible to CWD are members of the Deer Family, Cervids CWD has been reported in… (in Nature)


Caribou and Fallow Deer are considered susceptible but have not seen it in nature


2016: First cases of CWD in Europe Reindeer and Moose in Norway We do not know how it got there



2013: First case in Moose in Canada 2016: First Elk in Alberta 9 Elk, 1 Moose in Saskatchewan CWD mainly affects mule deer

• Not a naturally occurring disease

• Originated in a research facility in USA (1960s)

• Spread from captive to wild cervids

• Introduced to Canada via game farm elk (1996)

• Continues to move west towards BC


BC’s

High

Risk

Zone

Closest cases in

wildlife to BC


1) By natural animal movement

BC is considered at LOW RISK for the

natural introduction of CWD

* No native cervid farms in BC

2) By human importation of infected animals An infected carcass or tissues can contaminate the soil with prions A very real threat!

Two ways CWD may enter BC...


If you hunt in areas with CWD, don’t bring the high risk tissues back to BC High risk = brain, spinal cord, lymph nodes, organs


CWD Regulation Prohibits the import of intact cervid carcasses Hwy signs at Alberta border crossings 2 signs installed in 2013


Symptoms • weight loss • poor coordination • Stumbling • trembling

Animals do not always appear sick - 18+ months for symptoms to develop


• Direct contact with infected deer

• Contact with contaminated environment

- Saliva, urine, feces

- Infected carcass

Prions live in soil for years

Ingested - lymphatic/CNS


Research findings… Transmission

Disease prevalence in captive very high due to density and opportunity for transmission Disease prevalence in wild remains relatively low - Saskatchewan 9.5% (hunter samples) - Alberta 3.5 %

Research findings…


• 4 x more common in Mule Deer

• 2 x more common in Males


Research findings… Demographics

Plants can retain and uptake infectious prions * Feed sources? Watersheds can act as a source & predictor

Role of scavengers


Research findings… Spread

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=NuGweQMCFjiSoM&tbnid=dFxxiAdhBiEFlM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.ppwb.ca/information/146/index.html&ei=OuxHUcayF-K7igLyi4DwCw&bvm=bv.44011176,d.cGE&psig=AFQjCNGEH5HifTIpV5DZWS8Z-hUUEglH2g&ust=1363754414229233

CWD has not been found in BC Continued surveillance is required to maintain CWD Free status and to ensure early detection


BC CWD Program • Prevention • Outreach • Surveillance

Target “high risk” areas close to Alberta


WE HAVE LOTS OF HELP! BC Advisory Committee Regional Working Groups Staff, stakeholders, experts * looking for new membership * CWD Forum Canadian jurisdictions Academics, Researchers Staff, communities, volunteers Hunters and Trappers!!!


2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 TOTAL

PEACE 47 45 65 44 56 138 221 31 34 0 48 39 15 1 21 805

KOOTENAY 113 109 0 155 144 182 51 132 197 172 178 182 151 232 236 2234

OTHER 52 34 0 17 33 3 8 1 11 8 20 9 9 105 93 403

TOTAL 212 188 65 216 233 323 280 164 242 180 246 230 175 338 350 3442


BC CWD Surveillance since 2002

Head submission is voluntary

Harvested, road killed or clinical cervids

2002-2013

The Perfect Sample


Upper neck cut off Shot in head

Less than 1 year


WE CAN’T

USE

OK to remove antlers


OBEX and LYMPH

NODES from

Moose and Elk

LYMPH NODES and TONSILS

from Deer


CWD Diagnostics Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative

Cutting edge, highly sensitive equipment Trying to bring testing to BC


PREVENTION IS 1ST PRIORITY! … If CWD is introduced to BC, early detection and good data will help us to focused our efforts


We need samples to improve our understanding of CWD in BC Wildlife Negative test results are important!


PLEASE SUBMIT DEER, ELK AND MOOSE HEADS!!!

And report any sick deer, elk or moose to BC WILDLIFE HEALTH



DROP OFF LOCATIONS

Any BC Wildlife office or COS office

Peace Region:

North Peace Rod & Gun Club, Fort St John

Peace Taxidermy, Hwy 29

Richard’s Meats, Pouce Coupe

Kootenay Region:

Rick’s Fine Meat and Sausage, Cranbrook

Wes’s Country Meats, Fernie

Gwinner’s Country Butcher, Kimberely



We need your input! How can we get more samples? How can we get information out?

BC WILDLIFE HEALTH PROGRAM Phone: (250) 751-3219 Email: [email protected] Website: www.gov.bc.ca/chronicwastingdisease


For more information:

Thank you

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.gov.bc.ca/chronicwastingdisease

a hunter's guide to understanding chronic wasting disease system prions are abnormal proteins...

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