Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer, and moose. It is part of a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).
Pronunciation
Chronic Wasting Disease: /ˈkrɒnɪk ˈweɪstɪŋ dɪˈziːz/
Etymology
The term "Chronic Wasting Disease" is derived from the disease's long-term effects on the affected animals, which include weight loss (wasting) and eventual death. The disease was first identified in the late 1960s in Colorado.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Chronic Wasting Disease include drastic weight loss (wasting), stumbling, lack of coordination, listlessness, drooling, excessive thirst or urination, drooping ears, aggression, and difficulty swallowing.
Transmission
Chronic Wasting Disease is believed to be caused by prions, abnormal pathogenic agents that are transmissible and are able to induce abnormal folding of specific normal cellular proteins called prion proteins that are found most abundantly in the brain. The disease is spread through the body fluids of infected animals.
Prevention and Control
There is currently no known treatment or vaccine for Chronic Wasting Disease. Prevention efforts focus on minimizing the spread of the disease through the control of animal movement, surveillance, and population management.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Chronic Wasting Disease
- Wikipedia's article - Chronic Wasting Disease
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