“Zombie” Deer Disease Discovered In Jefferson County

At least 60 confirmed positive cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) have been detected in deer in eastern Nebraska, including in Jefferson County. That is according to Nebraska Game and Parks, which has collected more than 1,400 samples from harvested deer at check stations in the Missouri, Elkhorn, Loup East, Wahoo, Blue Northwest, and Blue Southeast deer management units. CWD was detected for the first time in Antelope, Madison, Butler, York, Seward, Jefferson, Richardson, Merrick, Greeley, and Platte counties. The infectious disease has been unofficially dubbed “Zombie” deer disease due to symptoms associated with the disease, such as a loss of coordination resulting in staggering or stumbling. Other symptoms include excessive salivation, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, excessive thirst and urination, listlessness, teeth grinding, holding the head in a lowered position, and drooping ears. Many of these signs can also be symptoms of other diseases. CWD is always fatal to the infected animal.CWD is a prion disease that attacks the brain of infected deer, elk, and moose; it is always fatal to the infected animal. While no CWD infections in humans have been reported, public health officials recommend taking precautions when handling or processing a harvest or tools used during the butchering process. Officials also recommend avoiding consumption of meat from deer and elk that look sick or that test positive for CWD. The disease was first discovered in Colorado in 1967 and in Nebraska in 2000 in Kimball County. To date, it has been detected in wild or captive deer, elk, or moose in 35 states. CWD surveillance in Nebraska is implemented in four to seven units each year, rotating to a different part of the state. Since 1997, Nebraska Game and Parks has tested more than 58,000 deer and more than 400 elk, with 1,347 deer and 23 elk testing positive for CWD to date. At this time, Nebraska Game and Parks reports that CWD has been detected in free-ranging deer or elk in 68 counties.

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