WADDL prepares for increased chronic wasting disease surveillance

The Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory recently detected the state's first case of chronic wasting disease and is now gearing up for increased surveillance and testing of deer populations throughout the region.

The laboratory, part of Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, initially detected the positive case July 26 in a batch of samples submitted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, a key partner in disease monitoring efforts across the state. Additional testing confirmed the result July 30.

"With the first confirmed case in Washington, the importance of regular surveillance and testing is more evident than ever. The proactive monitoring efforts enable early detection and a timely response, which are crucial for managing and controlling the spread of this disease," said Korakrit Poonsuk, WADDL Immunodiagnostics section head.

Chronic wasting disease - which has now been documented in wild or captive cervids in 35 states, including Montana and Idaho, and four Canadian provinces - is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy disease that affects deer, elk, and moose. Caused by abnormal proteins called prions, CWD leads to fatal neurological damage. There is currently no cure for the disease, and it can only be definitively diagnosed through laboratory testing of lymph nodes or brain tissue.

Although CWD poses a serious threat to cervid populations, there is no evidence of transmission to humans or domestic animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, recommends against consuming meat from positive animals to minimize risk.

As a leading animal disease diagnostic laboratory, WADDL is a member of the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service's National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The network, comprising 60 animal disease diagnostic laboratories nationwide, is dedicated to the early detection of, response to and recovery from animal health emergencies.

WADDL serves as the primary CWD testing laboratory for Washington, California and some tribal organizations, playing a pivotal role in the wildlife health monitoring efforts in the Pacific Northwest.

WADDL employs two advanced diagnostic methods to test for CWD: the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for initial screening and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for confirmatory testing.

The white-tail deer that tested positive was found dead in February in the suburban area of Fairwood in Spokane County, within Game Management Unit 124. The lymph nodes of the deer were batched by WDFW and submitted to WADDL in July along with other samples for testing allowing for efficient, high-volume analysis. Initially tested with ELISA, the positive result was then confirmed with immunohistochemistry at WADDL two business days later.

"WADDL's advanced and comprehensive testing services helps ensure accurate detection and confirmation of cases of chronic wasting disease, which will be essential for effective disease management and control as we move forward," Poonsuk said.

In 2023, WADDL secured new funding from USDA-APHIS that allowed investments into improving CWD testing capacity and efficiency through securing state-of-the-art equipment and training personnel to handle the increased testing demands. In addition, sample submission, testing and reporting workflows were streamlined for reduced turnaround times for test results.

More information about WADDL is available online.

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