Two hunters have already died
Can THIS deadly animal disease also affect humans?
A scary deer disease is spreading across the USA. (Photo: symbolic image)
www.imago-images.de, imago images/Rene Traut, Rene Traut via www.imago-images.de
This is really scary!
A plague is rampant in the forests of North America that is turning innocent deer into walking undead. But that’s not all: researchers are now warning that the disease could also spread to humans, as ntv.de reports.
Deceased Hunter Showed Disturbing Symptoms Before His Death
A team of doctors at the University of Texas reports in the journal Neurology of two hunters who died in agony after eating meat from an affected deer population. One of the men showed disturbing symptoms before his death. His hunting companion died shortly after him.
The disease, known as chronic wasting disease (CWD) or “zombie deer disease,” causes the animals’ brains to slowly become perforated.
The bad: Scientists say there are signs that the disease not only affects deer but could also jump to humans.
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Prion diseases are extremely deadly
According to doctors, the disease is caused by prions, abnormal proteins that accumulate in the brain and destroy nerve cells. Once infected, the disease spreads inexorably and inevitably leads to death.
Because prion diseases are extremely deadly. What is particularly worrying is that infected animals can excrete the prions and thus spread the disease. There is also the possibility that prions can persist in soil and other surfaces for years, posing a persistent threat to wildlife.
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Researchers are calling for further investigation
Experts have long warned that CWD could jump to humans. Similar to the BSE cattle disease, consumption of infected meat could trigger a new variant of the deadly Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
Whether the two hunters actually died of CWD remains to be investigated further. Although there is evidence of possible transmission from animals to humans, definitive proof is still missing.
Researchers are therefore calling for further research to understand the possible risks of consuming infected wild meat and to minimize the impact on public health. (ija)