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Experts are as much in the dark as any of us when it comes to answering this question: Can zombie deer disease spread to humans? Although they are still climbing this hill, the rising number of cases in the US is taking a toll on the fear factor.
In their efforts to find out, scientists are designing experimental studies and connecting the dots with mad cow disease. In the latter case, it has already been confirmed that the prion can spread from cattle to humans.
In her interview with the BBC, Jennifer Mullinax, associate professor of wildlife ecology and management at the University of Maryland, said: “So far, there has been no transmission from deer or elk to humans.” If animal-to-human transmission becomes reality, all those dystopian, far-fetched hypothetical scenarios could easily turn into our new, nightmarish reality.
“However, given the nature of [the misfolded proteins]The CDC and other agencies have supported all efforts to keep any prion disease out of the food chain, the professor said.
Also read: Bubonic plague in the US: everything you need to know, from symptoms to prevention tips
About Zombie Deer Disease
The most recent outbreak of zombie disease is a prion disease, also known as chronic wasting disease (CWD). While scientists are still considering its effects on humans, other prion diseases have a history of being harmful to both animals and humans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has claimed that deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose are affected by CWD, all of which have been found so far in Canada, the US, Norway and South Korea.
As far as its transmission is concerned, CWD prions are reportedly spread through feces, saliva, blood, and urine. Despite CWD being an infectious degenerative disease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service does not list bacteria and viruses as its cause. Instead, a naturally occurring protein emerges as the lethal factor, which becomes infectious when twisted the wrong way.
Once again, the cause of this disturbance is shrouded in mystery. However, they confirmed that once the normal prion protein takes on this deadly shape, it also converts other normally found proteins into their misfolded forms. As the degeneration continues, the brain cells of the afflicted animal die, ultimately resulting in its death.
What are the chances of zombie deer disease spreading to humans?
In 2023, monitoring results from the province of Alberta (Canada) showed that the mule deer positivity rate had increased to 23%.
In line with the lack of existing evidence that otherwise suggests CWD can spread to humans, Mullinax said: “The current body of research is a mixed bag, meaning we don’t know yet”.
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, also added his side of the research to the ongoing debate. Although researchers are still assessing the potential risk to humans exposed to contaminated soil or water, they note that the mad cow disease and CWD prions are structurally different.
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