News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A fatal deer disease that has now spread to 13 counties in West Tennessee has not reached the Upper Cumberland.
Chronic Wasting Disease is fatal and damages portions of the animal’s brain. TWRA Region 3 Species Biologist Casey Mullin said the best way to combat the sickness is to prevent the spread.
“Each county has a science based quota system where counties have a certain number of samples that need to be collected to try and find the disease as quickly as possible,” Mullin said. “Early detection is the best defense.”
Mullin said the protein that causes the disease can be passed from animal to animal or by environment to animal. Mullin said prions or misfolded proteins in the brain cause the disease. Mullin said the protein has the ability to transfer its makeup and cause neurodegenerative effects.
“That is something that is hard for people to wrap their head around, because it’s not actually alive,” Mullin said. “It’s a misformed protein that causes this disease. One thing that makes it so hard to control is because it’s not like a normal virus. Once it’s in the ground, it is there for decades really.”
Mullin said TWRA usually does not work through the hunters, but partner with local taxidermist and processors to gain samples. Mullin said TWRA has a sick deer app that can be used to report cases.
