- ALBANY, N.Y.
-- Chronic wasting disease was discovered in a second captive deer in central
New York, days after the deadly malady was first detected in the state,
agricultural officials said Saturday.
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- Both white-tailed deer had been part of captive herds
in Oneida County, east of Syracuse. The second positive case was discovered
in a small herd that had taken in animals from the herd that yielded the
initial confirmed case earlier this week, according to the state Department
of Agriculture and Markets.
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- Chronic wasting disease _ called CWD _ is a degenerative
neurological illness that is deadly to some deer and elk species. There
is no evidence that CWD is harmful to humans or other domestic livestock.
-
- The second confirmed case was discovered in a four- to
five-year-old deer that died of pneumonia on its owner's property two weeks
ago. The deer was tested under mandatory state screening program.
-
- New York agricultural officials said Saturday they were
trying to determine the source of the disease in both animals, but stressed
it should not be considered a public health threat.
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- "This is an animal health issue first and foremost.
There's no link to disease in humans," said state agricultural spokeswoman
Jessica Chittenden. "We're doing everything we can to control this."
-
- The herd that yielded the initial positive, as well as
six other captive herds that potentially came into contact with that herd,
have been quarantined. Animals in the two herds with confirmed positives
will be killed and tested for CWD.
-
- Meanwhile, state environmental officials were testing
wild deer in the largely rural county to determine if the disease has spread
beyond captive animals.
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- "We will be sampling a lot of deer in a limited
area in a short period of time," said Gerry Barnhart, director of
state Department of Environmental Conservation's Fish, Wildlife and Marine
Resources division.
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- State officials have not identified the herd owners.
But they said Saturday that the owner of the first deer to test positive
held game breeding and wildlife rehabilitation licenses, sold animals and
donated meat from his herd. The owner of the second deer kept a small number
for pleasure, according to agricultural and environmental officials.
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- CWD has been detected in wild and captive deer and elk
populations in 12 states in the West and Midwest.
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- Scientists don't know how the disease is transmitted
among animals. Symptoms of the disease include weight loss, stumbling,
tremors, lack of coordination and listlessness.
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- Patricia A. Doyle, PhD
- Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message
board at: http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?
Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
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