| NO LIVE ANIMAL TEST FOR CHRONIC WASTE DISEASE The cause of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is
unknown and there is NO LIVE ANIMAL TEST, treatment or vaccine. Unfortunately, to
discover if any animal has the disease the animal has to be put down to be tested.
When an elk on a Saskatchewan farm died
and was confirmed to have had Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) there was an immediate
quarantine by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of this farm, plus, the farm of
origin. The elk industry is highly regulated. Elk are individually identified and the
industry is governed by movement controls so diseased elk can be traced back to the farm
of origin.
Close surveillance of both Saskatchewan
farms is being maintained by the CFIA, including supervision of the treatment of any
animal that becomes sick. If an animal should die, a post mortem will be performed and the
brain will be submitted for examination of CWD.
The farms will remain under quarantine
until the CFIA has completed its investigation, and based on the findings of the
investigation, an interim policy for CWD is determined.
CWD is a progressive fatal disease of the
nervous system of cervids, including elk, mule deer and white tailed deer. It is a
transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, as are scapie in sheep, bovine spongiform
encephalopathy in cattle and Creutzfedt-Jacob disease in humans. Although the exact cause
of CWD is unknown, it is believed to be caused by a disease agent that is smaller than a
virus.
There is no scientific evidence that CWD
can affect humans. The CFIA is working in co-operation with the Canadian Venison Council
to determine an appropriate long-term policy for the control and/or eradication of CWD.
The speed with which these cases were
dealt with by the producer and CFIA reflects why Canada has a reputation of being the most
health conscious and reliable supplier of food in the world.
Contacts are:
Ian Thorliefson,
Executive Director
Canadian Venison Council
Phone: (780) 419-3280
Fax: (780) 460-7494
Steve Wolcott,
Chairman
NAEBA Animal Health Committee
Ph: (970) 527-4586
Fax: (970) 527-4587
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