A government program in British Columbia discovered the presence of chronic wasting disease in deer. Now, managing the spread of the disease is a priority.
B.C. has operated a surveillance program for over 20 years to detect chronic wasting disease, a fatal condition with no cure or vaccine. The disease has now been detected in deer in the province.
A deadly neurological infection, chronic wasting disease, has been detected in deer, elk and moose in 30 states and four Canadian provinces. Human risk is low, but hunters need to take precautions.
Mistakes can be made during scientific research with devastating effects. Keeping an open mind to the possibility of error and correcting immediately can make the difference between life and death.