U of M researchers examine preparedness for possibility of CWD jump to humans

This week the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota released a report titled “Chronic Wasting Disease Spillover Preparedness and Response: Charting an Uncertain Future,” detailing preparedness and response gaps should cross-species transmission of CWD happen between deer and other animals, including humans. 

U of M CIDRAP director and report lead, Michael Osterholm, said it took a group of 67 national and international CWD experts two years to complete the study.   

“This includes prion biology, human medicine, animal medicine, as well as the carcass disposal, wildlife conservation, etc.,” he said. “So, it really was a robust group, and one that I think summarized as well as has been done today, just the challenges that we have with CWD.” 

In a release CIDRAP said “current CWD response efforts are constrained by inconsistent disease surveillance among states and limited resources that would be insufficient if a spillover event were to occur.”

In response to the disease, which is always fatal in deer, the report makes nine recommendations based on vulnerabilities identified by its organizers. They include improving areas of research, funding, surveillance, and public and animal health care. 

Osterholm warned spillover might already be taking place. 

“We have some limited data now suggesting that feral pigs might be infected. Well, if they can get infected, surely as possible domestic swine could also become infected,” he said. “What would that do to the swine market? What would that do to the cattle market? These are huge issues.” 

Osterholm said another area of concern is for people who eat CWD contaminated venison which may contain infectious proteins known as prions. 

“We know that people are being exposed through consumption with prions,” he said. “What we don’t yet understand is what would it take for that prion to actually infect that human with ingestion?” 

Unlike other foods where cooking kills off foodborne pathogens making it safe to eat, cooking meat infected with CWD concentrates the disease making it worse. 

“We have very little data on strain change over time in most hunted cervids in this country. How do we monitor for this in humans? How do we pick it up?” he asked. “Would a practicing physician in rural America seeing someone who has dementia think, ‘Well, it’s probably Alzheimer’s.’ Not recognizing it very well could be due to this prion. How do we do that kind of surveillance?” 

The report, which was contracted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, can be found online using the U of M’s CIDRAP website.    

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