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1 [1] (May 17, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govzsn0001 and id is 1 raw text is: , ' Congressional Research Service if ormng the legaslative debate sin~ce 1914 0 May 17, 2019 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Government Response Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a degenerative neurological disorder that affects cervids, including multiple species of deer, elk, and moose. Infected cervids may exhibit many symptoms including weight loss or wasting, poor balance, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, and others. CWD has a 100% mortality rate. The spread of CWD has impacted both wild and captive animals, including farm-raised cervids (e.g., for venison production), across the United States. CWD has caused economic losses for U.S. farm-raised cervid operations and may affect wild cervids. As a result, Congress is taking an active interest in the incidence and management of CWD. CWD was first discovered in 1967 in Colorado, and since that time, it has spread across the United States. It may be transmitted by direct animal-to-animal contact or indirectly when animals come in contact with infected substances, such as soil, dust, or forage. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), CWD has spread to 26 U.S. states (as of May 2019; Figure 1) and to Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and South Korea. CWD is a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids. TSEs, also known as prion diseases, are a group of degenerative neurological disorders that result in a spongy appearance of the infected brain. TSEs are believed to be caused by abnormally folded prion proteins. Prion proteins are naturally occurring but, when folded incorrectly, can become both infectious and deadly. Other TSEs include scrapie, which afflicts sheep and goats, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as mad cow disease), which affects cattle. TSEs in humans include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. After infection by CWD, cervids may not exhibit symptoms for an extended period following exposure. This incubation Figure I. Distribution of CWD in North America period can last for a year or longer. No vaccine or treatment exists for CWD. Two diagnostic post-mortem testing techniques exist for identifying CWD in cervids. In some experimental studies, CWD has been shown to infect mice, squirrels, monkeys, and potentially macaques. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), there is no strong evidence, to date, of CWD infecting humans. It is unknown if humans may become infected by CWD prions, but some research suggests that CWD may possibly pose a risk to humans. As a precaution, the CDC and other public health officials advise caution in handling/processing animals that may be infected and warn against eating meat from an infected cervid. The CDC monitors current research on the potential for CWD transmission to humans and provides recommendations for hunters to reduce their risk of exposure. CWD Management Activities CWD management activities are shared by several federal and state departments and agencies. The primary federal agencies include the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and USGS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the National Park Service (NPS) within the Department of the Interior (DOI). Various state agencies- such as those overseeing agriculture, fish, or wildlife- often collaborate with federal agencies. Over 25 states have control programs for both wild and captive cervids. An early example of state and federal government cooperation was the CWD Task Force (no longer in operation). Initiated in 2002 by USDA, DOI, several state wildlife and agriculture agencies, land grant universities, Distribution of Chronic Wasting Diseasee in North America OWD) rn free~rangin pula ions Known distbution prior to 2000 O cwl) in captive taahties (deppulated) ....cta CWD in capre fal udties and Ala (t d(current) ~based on best avadlable information Source: CRS, adapted from USGS, National 'Wildlife Health Center, https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/expanding-distribution- c hron ic-wasting-disease. qt-scien ce ce nter robjects=0#qt-scien ce ce nter robjects. Notes: Map depicts the distribution area of CWD in North America as of May 2019. This map is regularly updated by the USGS. Both Hawaii and Alaska (not depicted in the figure) do not have cases of CWD. crsreportscong ess.g(

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