​Zombie deer disease: Why are scientists concerned over its transmission to humans?​

Zombie deer disease or chronic wasting disease as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls it, is a prion disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose. It has been found in some areas of North America, including Canada and the United States, Norway and South Korea.

The disease has been found in 800 samples of deer, elk and moose across Wyoming media reports have said. However, experts are worried that this is a slow-moving disaster and is likely to spread to human beings as well. It is fatal, with no known treatments or vaccines.

Experts are giving examples of the mad cow disease or the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. “The BSE outbreak in Britain provided an example of how, overnight, things can get crazy when a spillover event happens from, say, livestock to people,” Dr. Cory Anderson told The Guardian. “We’re talking about the potential of something similar occurring. No one is saying that it’s going to happen, but it’s important for people to be prepared,” Anderson added.

​​Ever heard of popcorn lung? Know what it is and why it happens?​​

As per the US CDC, prion diseases affect both humans and animals and are distinguished by long incubation periods. In the case of the chronic wasting disease or the zombie deer disease, "it may take over a year before an infected animal develops symptoms," the CDC says. The common signs of the disease are drastic weight loss (wasting), stumbling, and other neurologic symptoms. Other symptoms seen in animals infected with this disease are listlessness, drooling, excessive thirst or urination, drooping ears, and lack of fear of people.

"Since 1997, the World Health Organization has recommended that it is important to keep the agents of all known prion diseases from entering the human food chain," warns the CDC and refers to animal studies that suggest a potential risk of CWD to non-human primates, like monkeys. These animals get the disease when they come in contact with brain or body fluids from infected deer or elk.

The chronic wasting disease is extremely difficult to eradicate from the environment once the infection has started. "It can persist for years in dirt or on surfaces, and scientists report it is resistant to disinfectants, formaldehyde, radiation, and incineration at 600C (1,100F)," the Independent reported.

The zombie deer disease was first discovered in in Colorado in 1967, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Until now, reports of humans getting affected has not come to the fore. However, the findings of several studies suggest that it can easily jump to human beings.

To avoid the spread of the disease, the US CDC recommends to not shoot, handle, or eat meat from deer and elk that look sick or are acting strangely or are found dead (road-kill). It suggests individuals wear latex or rubber gloves when dressing the animal or handling the meat. Minimize how much you handle the organs of the animal, particularly the brain or spinal cord tissues. Do not use household knives or other kitchen utensils for field dressing.

​​Feeling bloated after a meal? Doing this can help​​

Zoonotic diseases, transmitted from animals to humans, pose significant public health risks. Examples include Influenza, originating in birds and swine, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), both linked to bats. Rabies, transmitted through bites or scratches from infected mammals, and Lyme disease, transmitted by ticks primarily carried by deer, are other examples. Recently, the world faced the zoonotic transmission of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) likely originating in bats. These diseases emphasize the importance of understanding and monitoring the interfaces between humans and animals to prevent future outbreaks and ensure global health security.