SPOKANE- Washington's first case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been confirmed in an adult female white-tailed deer that was found dead in the Fairwood area of north Spokane.

CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that infects members of the Cervidae 'deer' family and is fatal in infected deer. TSEs are caused by malformed proteins called prions. There is currently no cure for CWD, and it can only be confirmed through testing of lymph nodes or brain tissue. The lymph nodes of the deer that tested positive were submitted to the Washington Animal Disease Laboratory at Washington State University in July with a batch of other samples for testing.

CWD has been documented in wild or captive cervids in 34 other states and four Canadian provinces. WDFW has been testing for CWD in Washington since 1995. Efforts were increased starting in 2021 in eastern Washington due to proximity to known cases in western Montana at that time. WDFW has been proactively preparing for the possibility of finding the disease in Washington and has a Chronic Wasting Disease Management Plan that guides how the Department will move forward with responding to this confirmation and managing the spread of CWD.

"With the spread of CWD across the country and recent detections in adjacent states and provinces, WDFW has proactively conducted surveillance in this area since 2021," noted Eric Gardner, WDFW's Wildlife Program Director. "We detected this case because of the surveillance program, and we are immediately reviewing our Management Plan and the circumstances of this detection. We will announce additional management actions soon."

CWD can spread to other deer, elk, and moose and over time can reduce cervid populations if it becomes widespread. To understand more about this outbreak, WDFW staff are preparing to collect tissue samples from deer, elk, and moose within the initial response area. Members of the public can help by reporting cervids that appear sick and by not feeding wildlife. Feeding draws animals together where disease can spread quickly.

To date there are no confirmed cases of CWD transmission from wildlife to domestic animals or from cervids to other wild ungulate species. There is also no scientific evidence of CWD being transmitted from cervids to humans. Research conducted in 2022 and 2023 by National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists supports this. According to the NIH website "A new study of prion diseases, using a human cerebral organoid model, suggests there is a substantial species barrier preventing transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from cervids-deer, elk and moose-to people."

To minimize risk, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends against consuming meat from an animal that has tested positive for CWD. Hunters who harvest elk, deer, or moose in the affected area, or anyone who salvages a road-killed animal, can take additional steps to maximize food safety.

Testing of deer, elk, and moose will be critical this upcoming hunting season in order to detect additional cases and better understand the distribution and prevalence of the disease in Washington. Hunters will be notified about changes to testing and carcass transportation regulations as those details are developed. Information on how to have harvested animals tested, and more information on CWD is on the WDFW website.

WDFW is collaborating with landowners, land management agencies, state and local governments, tribal partners, and sportspeople and conservation groups in the affected area to respond to this disease and attempt to reduce its spread. 

There are many details regarding this confirmed case of CWD that WDFW staff are working to address. The Department will hold a virtual media availability opportunity to provide information and answer questions on Monday, Aug. 5 from 12-12:30 p.m. To participate, email [email protected]. A link to the Teams meeting will be provided to credentialed media via a return email. WDFW science and veterinary staff, along with Department of Health and Department of Agriculture staff, will provide a situation briefing and answer questions. The meeting will be recorded and provided to those who cannot attend.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.