chronic wasting disease

animal disease

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Last updated

July 22, 2026

Quick Summary

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a progressive, fatal prion disease affecting deer, elk, and moose. It is characterized by symptoms such as weight loss, tremors, lack of coordination, drooling, excessive thirst, and listlessness. First identified in deer in Colorado, CWD has since spread to numerous states and Canadian provinces. It is one of several diseases caused by misfolded proteins known as prions, similar to mad cow disease and scrapie in sheep. The abbreviation for Chronic Wasting Disease is CWD.12

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prion
…called mad cow disease), and chronic wasting disease of mule deer and elk. For decades physicians thought that these diseases resulted from infection with slow-acting viruses, so-called because of the lengthy incubation times required for the illnesses to develop. These diseases were, and sometimes still are, referred to as slow…
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…called mad cow disease), and chronic wasting disease of mule deer and elk. For decades physicians thought that these diseases resulted from infection with slow-acting viruses, so-called because of the lengthy incubation times required for the illnesses to develop. These diseases were, and sometimes still are, referred to as slow…
Read More