The United States is now "zombie deer disease"!This news reminded many people of the deer at the beginning of the movie "Train to Busan": stumbling and stumbling in his eyes.
This is not the first time that "zombie deer disease" has appeared globallyOverseas Network quoted Fox News in the United States as reporting on December 23 that the first case of "zombie deer" disease was found in Yellowstone National Park in the United States, causing some scientists to worry that the deadly brain disease virus may be transmitted to humans.
In November 2023, a deer carcass in Yellowstone National Park in the United States tested positive for a highly infectious prion that causes deer to lose weight, fall, and develop neurological symptoms, the report said.
In 1967, a research institute in northern Colorado, USA, first discovered the "zombie deer disease" in long-eared deer. Since then, the disease has spread to at least 30 states in the United States, and has been documented in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, South Korea, and other countries.
What exactly is "zombie deer disease"?"Zombie deer disease" vividly depicts the symptomatic characteristics of sick deer, a chronic wasting disease caused by prions that affects deerInfectious spongiform encephalopathy(TSE), similar diseases such as "mad cow disease".
Prions are transmitted through bodily fluids and physical contact, invading tissues such as the brain, spinal cord, and other tissues of deer, with most cases of "zombie deer disease" occurring in adult animals
The first sign is difficulty in moving.
Weight loss. The most obvious and consistent clinical symptom of this disease is weight loss over time.
Behavior changes also occur in most cases. These include reduced interaction with other animals, listlessness, head lowering, shaking, and repetitive walking in a predetermined pattern.
Excessive salivation, teeth grinding.
Increased water intake and urination.
Not afraid of people and aggressive.
Will "zombie deer disease" infect people?Some animal studies have shown that "zombie deer disease" poses a risk to certain types of non-human primates, such as monkeys, as these animals eat the meat of prion-infected animals and may also come into contact with the brains, body fluids, etc. of infected deer. Such studies raise concerns about the risk of "human-to-human" transmission of the virus.
This disease is fatal to animals, and there is no method or vaccine. No human cases of "zombie deer" virus have been identified. Some epidemiologists believe thatThe absence of "human-to-human" cases does not mean that this will not happen.
The Public Wildlife Federation estimated in 2017 that about 7,000 to 15,000 animals infected with "zombie deer disease" are eaten each year, and this number is increasing at a rate of 20 percent per year. With the hunting season on the horizon, the CDC is calling on people to test animals they hunt before eating meat.
The World Health Organization recommends that the best way to prevent all known prion disease pathogens from entering the human food chain is to stay away from these animals, especially those that may be sick.
It is what people should do not eat wild animals, buy meat food from regular channels, and cook meat ingredients thoroughly when cooking.
References: 1. The "zombie deer" virus was detected in Yellowstone Park in the United States Experts warn: or infect humans.
2. Wikipedia - Chronic wasting disease.