Scientists are warning of the growing rise of so-called chronic wasting disease (also known as “zombie deer disease”). This condition is, according to researchers, transmissible to humans.
It is an illness that has been known to scientists for many years as “zombie deer disease.” Lethargy, difficulty moving, blank stares… Several researchers warn of the risks of spread of what is known as “chronic wasting disease” (CWD). This condition is affecting more and more wild animals: scientists are wondering about the transmission of this disease to humans, going so far as to anticipate a “slow-onset catastrophe”.
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In cattle, CWD is usually fatal. In practice, the disease infects the central nervous system of the animal. The condition leads to increased aggression and a certain lack of coordination. Dr Cory Anderson thus draws a parallel with mad cow disease which, in the United Kingdom, led to the slaughter of 4.4 million cattle between the 1980s and 1990s. The researcher fears transmission of the disease to humans: the human variant of chronic wasting disease is responsible for 178 deaths worldwide since 1995.
A rise in “zoonotic diseases”
Transmission generally occurs through the consumption of animals affected by the disease, according to researchers. In 2017, between 7,000 and 15,000 animals affected by CWD were consumed by humans according to the Alliance for Public Wildlife. This figure could increase by 20% per year. Scientists are calling on the authorities to prepare for the spread of this disease, especially as it would be particularly difficult to eradicate when it takes hold in an environment. The disease would thus resist disinfectants, formaldehyde and even radiation.
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Zoonoses, diseases transmitted by animals, are increasingly numerous
And if scientists are worried, it is above all that diseases transmitted from animals to humans could cause 12 times more deaths in 2050 than in 2020. In any case, this is what affirms the American biotechnology company Ginkgo Bioworks which points to the growing rise of what we call “zoonotic diseases”, due among other things to global warming. The structure estimates that epidemics increased by 5% per year between 1963 and 2019, with a 9% increase in deaths.