# Ten kansas deer confirmed positive in cwd tests



## terry (Sep 13, 2002)

TEN KANSAS DEER CONFIRMED POSITIVE IN CWD TESTS 

Another "presumptive positive" sample still awaiting results PRATT On March 2, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) announced that 10 white-tailed deer from northwestern Kansas had tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). These were animals taken by hunters in the 2009 hunting seasons. The agency is still awaiting the result from another deer sample that was presumed to be positive after preliminary testing at the K-State Diagnostic Veterinary Lab in Manhattan. That "presumptive positive" has been sent to the National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa, for confirmation.

The one presumptive positive deer was taken by a hunter in Decatur County, and another four deer from that county have been confirmed positive. The other confirmed positives include two from Rawlins County and one each from Sheridan, Graham, Logan, and Thomas counties. One deer each from Sheridan and Thomas counties were exhibiting clinical symptoms of CWD.

In total, 2,702 animals were tested for CWD, including 16 elk, 278 mule deer, and 2,408 white-tailed deer. Although the agency has completed testing of its target sample for this hunting season, biologists are still collecting heads from road-killed deer in northwest Kansas. In addition, the agency is collecting road-killed deer in Harper County, near an area where a captive elk herd had to be destroyed in 2001 because of CWD.

Annual testing is part of ongoing effort by KDWP to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in a wild deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005. Three infected deer were taken in Decatur County in 2007 and 10 tested positive in 2008, all in northwest Kansas.

CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication but in the later stages, signs may include behavioral changes such as decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans. Anyone who discovers a sick or suspect deer should contact the nearest KDWP office.

There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents the spread of CWD. However, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or livestock. Still, precautions should be taken. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected, and common sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found. More information on CWD can be found on KDWPs website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website, www.cwd-info.org -30-

http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Hunting/TEN-KANSAS-DEER-CONFIRMED-POSITIVE-IN-CWD-TESTS



Thursday, January 21, 2010

Kansas has more CWD cases Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 3:31 PM Subject: Kansas has more CWD cases

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/01/kansas-has-more-cwd-cases.html



Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Chronic Wasting Disease: Surveillance Update North America: February 2010

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/02/chronic-wasting-disease-surveillance.html



Friday, February 26, 2010

Chronic wasting disease found in Missouri deer February 25, 2010

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/02/chronic-wasting-disease-found-in.html



Thursday, January 21, 2010

Chronic Wasting Disease Found in White-tailed Deer in Virginia

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/01/chronic-wasting-disease-found-in-white.html



TSS

Thursday, March 04, 2010 

TEN KANSAS DEER CONFIRMED POSITIVE IN CWD TESTS


http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2010/03/ten-kansas-deer-confirmed-positive-in_04.html


----------



## ridgewalker (Jun 24, 2008)

_It seems to me that I have been reading on this site for some time that Kansas was one of those ideal states where large mature deer are hunted. I also believe it was stated that Kansas does not have baiting. So why are there deer with the disease? Possibly because of the captive herd which has nothing to do with baiting during a seasonal hunt in the wild. This is a very interesting report and I hope that some decision makers would take a honest look at it. The last paragraph is especially intriguing._


----------



## Drifter Saver (Sep 13, 2005)

Baiting is actually legal in Kansas. I go every year. I don't elect to do it as Food is everywhere.


----------



## big_phish (Jan 1, 2009)

Real nice article, glad you post it. I'm curious to know if how prevalent CWD is here in our state. Being someone new to hunting, I still have a hard time decifering tracks let along CWD. Thanks for the info. I'll be doing more research for sure.


----------



## Michihunter (Jan 8, 2003)

big_phish said:


> Real nice article, glad you post it. I'm curious to know if how prevalent CWD is here in our state. Being someone new to hunting, I still have a hard time decifering tracks let along CWD. Thanks for the info. I'll be doing more research for sure.


The prevalence rate is 0 in the wild deer populations here in MI.


----------



## TwodogsNate (Jul 30, 2009)

I hunt Pratt county, Kansas every year. This is bad news for that area.


----------

