Based on a medical case report, humans may have gotten infected with deadly prion disease that comes from deers.
Prion Disease Linked to 'Zombie Deer' Illness
Two hunters ended up dying after they consumed venison from a deer population that is known to be infected with "zombie deer" disease, or chronic wasting disease. This condition is not unlike mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
According to doctors from the University of Texas, a 72-year-old man ended up dying after exhibiting aggression and rapid-onset condition. His friend, who was also part of the hunting lodge, died later on at an unspecified date after exhibiting similar symptoms. Based on post-mortem analysis, it was determined that the second man died due to prion disease, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Their cases were documented in the "Two Hunters from the Same Lodge Afflicted with Sporadic CJD: Is Chronic Wasting Disease to Blame? (P7-13.002)" medical case report.
Given the rarity of prion disease in humans, both cases could mean that zombie deer disease, which the CDC previously reported to not have ever been seen among humans, could have seen a successful zoonotic transfer from animals.
Prion diseases, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, are quite terrifying. Prions are types of proteins that did not properly fold and resultantly do not function as they should. The issue with such proteins is that they teach the surrounding proteins to also fold badly. This leads to a dysfunctional tissue spread that cannot be cured or halted.
Prion spread across brain tissues lead to symptoms that are similar to fast-track dementia. Because CJD does not yield any immune response, it is virtually impossible for a living patient to be diagnosed.
As for chronic wasting disease, significant concerns have also been raised. The condition infects different animals, such as moose, elk, and deer. It also appears to have fairly easy transmission across these animals. According to scientists, the condition could be passed on through bodily fluids, such as saliva or blood, and through direct contact or environmental contamination.
Zoonotic Transmission?
According to research, chronic wasting has been found to be able to infect mice that are genetically modified with human genetic material in a lab setting. Moreover, a 2019 study also found that around 7,000 to 15,000 animals with the condition were being consumed each year. Such figures could likely increase annually by 20%.
It remains unknown if the two men ended up succumbing to chronic wasting disease, regardless of whether there was another source for the illness. It is possible for prion disease to spontaneously emerge, though this is extremely rare.
The report also does not note where the two men are from, though the disease can be spotted across wild populations in the North American continent. This includes at least 32 states across the US and Canada. It could also be present in farmed deer.
Considering how zoonotic prion disease is very possible and that animal-to-human transmission has been predicted, the doctors say that such a situation warrants attention and caution. They note that, though causation is not proven, the cluster stresses the need of investigating the risks that come with the consumption of deer infected with CWD and its public health implications.
RELATED ARTICLE : What Are Zoonotic Diseases? How Does Animal-to-Human Transmission Work
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