A recent study has revealed that chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease affecting deer, elk, and related animals, may spread more quietly than previously thought. Researchers found that infectious prions—the abnormal proteins responsible for the disease—can be present in some animals even when they show no visible symptoms.
Although there is currently no confirmed evidence that CWD can infect humans, scientists caution that the disease’s ability to evolve and potentially adapt to new hosts deserves careful monitoring. Understanding how prion diseases spread across animal populations is essential for wildlife management and public health.
The findings highlight the importance of continued surveillance and research into this unusual and challenging disease.
Read more at ScienceDaily