I know that it is not exciting reading, however, ALL citizens of Canada, especially those who care about WILDLIFE, should take the time to read this. And please post up your thoughts.
The following is my cherrypicked summary of this 2011 CWD Summary. Edits are my comments in red.
Management of CWD in Canada:
Past Practices, Current Conditions, Current Science, Future Risks and Options
February 9-10, 2011, Edmonton
http://www.ccwhc.ca/publications/CWD...d_20110516.pdf
3. The Perils of Chronic Wasting Disease Regulation
Since the detection of chronic wasting disease in Saskatchewan in 1996 in farmed elk, a variety of regulatory approaches have been attempted at both the federal and provincial level. As of February 1, 2011, 64 cervid farms have been infected with CWD in Canada (all but two have been in Saskatchewan). There are currently seven farms under quarantine in Saskatchewan, and 12 farms have been declared “highly contaminated premises” and are under permanent quarantine.
(Edit) Another case of CWD on a Sask Elk Farm was confirmed on May 15, 2011. There have been FIVE comfirmed CWD infected game farm herds in Sask in just the last six months. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/.../cwdmdce.shtml
From 1996 to 2002, evidence suggested that CWD occurred through direct transmission.
Since 2002, direct transmission by farmed cervids is not as apparent and indirect transmission is increasingly considered a factor. In some cases, investigators were unable to determine the source of the CWD introduction, as multiple possibilities exist (environment, soil, feed, etc.).
(Edit) Could be similar to Anthrax, remaining in the soil for decades or longer.
A national CWD
voluntary herd certification program for producers has been in place since 2003, and is monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
(Edit) Note, CWD monitoring in Sask Cervid Farms is Voluntary!
The cervid industry includes three main components: the hunt farm industry (only in Saskatchewan and Quebec); the velvet industry (medicinal use of antlers, mainly for export); and the meat (venison) industry. The collective contribution to Saskatchewan’s economy is approximately $15M (cash receipts) annually, with the hunt industry accounting for more than two-thirds of that amount. The economic impacts of hunting in Saskatchewan are approximately $200M annually.
Most states and provinces allow farming of domestic cervids, and most jurisdictions allow the importation of cervids. Ninety percent of imported cervids, which are predominantly from Alberta, go to hunt farms. In 2005, the farmed cervids population in Saskatchewan was approximately 54,000. By 2010, the population had declined to 22,000 (6,000 white-tailed deer and 16,000 elk). The number of licensed game farms has also declined, from 616 in 2002 to 421 in 2011.
CWD has social, political, economic, environmental and other challenges. The control of CWD should take a “one health” approach that involves wildlife, environment and human health interests.
Saskatchewan believes that we have a responsibility to prevent the spread of CWD to wild populations if it is possible to do so.
(Edit) It is not only possible for the Sask. Gov. to live up to it's admitted Responsibility to prevent CWD spread from Farmed animals to Wild populations, the solution is simple. Banning game farming would reduce this risk by 100%!
As qouted in section 5. CWD in Wild Cervids in Saskatchewan,
Chronic wasting disease was introduced into Saskatchewan through the importation of infected farmed elk from the United States in the late 1980s. The absolute cause of the existance of CWD in Canada (Saskatchewan and Alberta) has been proven to be from Infected Game farm animals.
5. CWD in Wild Cervids in Saskatchewan
Chronic wasting disease was introduced into Saskatchewan through the importation of infected farmed elk from the United States in the late 1980s.
Current research efforts are focused in predicting rates and direction of geographic spread; determining factors affecting transmission; predicting effects on cervid populations; and developing strategies for CWD management. Research findings include:
• No evidence of subpopulations, so no barriers to gene flow or CWD spread.
• Mule deer families within 2 km of one another are likely to be related; cervids have a matriarchal social structure.
• Within a local area, CWD infected animals are more likely to be related to one another than non-infected animals; CWD transmission is facilitated within female family groups.
• Focal herd reduction is not an effective management strategy to prevent CWD spread: by the time CWD is detected in a new area, it has likely been there for some time.
• Deer migration and movement of dispersing young deer can be up to 100 km; CWD management zones are typically too small to be effective.
• CWD is transmitted through both direct and indirect contact, but the relative role of each is uncertain.
Management strategies need to look beyond just reducing deer numbers to encompass multifaceted approaches for both wild and farmed cervids
6. An Update on the Economic Impacts of Chronic Wasting Disease and Hunting/Recreation/Wildlife
The economic impacts of chronic wasting disease in Alberta affect a number of sectors, including First Nations peoples, hunters, cervid farmers, recreational land users, landowners, consumers of cervid meat products and tourism (non-resident hunters).
Hunting in Alberta accounts for expenditures of about $100M per year for residents and about $10M-$12M for non-residents. About 50% of these expenditures are for big game (deer, moose, and elk). Economic risks associated with CWD also include changes in non-market values (i.e., the quality of the hunting experience), such as risks to access, habitat, presence/absence of control programs, etc.
(Edit) Economic expenditures valued here are direct $ only. Total Gross Output of hunting related expenditures in 2008 was $422,801,661
Copy and paste link:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/csi12823/$FILE/Volume-II-Hunting-May-15.pdf
11. Chronic Wasting Disease Strains
CWD is a highly contagious brain disease that is always fatal and for which there is no treatment or cure. It is spread animal-to-animal and animal-to-environment. Detection of CWD is complicated and infected cervids appear healthy for a long time.
The disease appears to spread slowly. The disease persists in the environment for decades, and in some cases it becomes more infectious in the environment.
A study published in January 2011 suggests that CWD has the potential to transfer to humans. Using protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), a means of replicating prions in a test tube,
CWD prion strains were shown to have the ability to convert to human prions.
(Edit) A similar mutation is responsible for Mad Cow Disease ( BSE ) becoming transmitable to Humans, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) !
12. Are We Prepared for Human Chronic Wasting Disease?
The risk to human health of chronic wasting disease is poorly known. The current risk profile is drawn from results of animal and in vitro studies, including the following:
• Studies in transgenic mice expressing human PrP failed to demonstrate that CWD prions can induce prion disease after intracerebral inoculation. One study showed that the species barrier between cervids and humans may be strain-dependent.
This suggests that other CWD strains, either naturally occurring or adapted in cervids from other species, could be highly transmissible to humans. (Edit) SARS mutated within Bats, transmitted to Civets, then to Humans.
•
In studies on non-human primates, squirrel monkeys succumbed to the prion disease following intracerebral and oral inoculation of CWD prions. (Edit) AIDS mutated within monkeys and became transmittable to Humans.
• In vitro studies using cell free conversion (CFC) experiments have suggested that transmission risk to humans is low as a result of incompatibility of the donor and recipient PrP sequence; however, it has not been ruled out.
• In vitro studies using PMCA have shown that CWD PrPSc may have the potential to trigger conversion of human PrPC after in vitro or in vivo adaptation and stabilization.
Assessment of these studies suggests that while a strong species barrier exists between cervids and humans, there is insufficient evidence to rule out a potential risk of CWD transmission to humans. Human surveillance to monitor occurrence of potential human CWD is needed, and reduction of the risk of human exposure to CWD remains strongly recommended.
Risk tolerance for human CWD is extremely low: a single case could create a crisis.
13. Challenges in Managing Emerging Prion Risks: Applications to Chronic Wasting Disease Management in Canada
Lessons learned from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) can be applied to management approaches related to chronic wasting disease.
The first North American case of BSE was found in Canada in May 2003, leading the US and many other countries to close their borders to Canadian beef.
The socio-economic cost of the outbreak was estimated to be in the range of $10 billion. It was also determined that vCJD can be transmitted through blood transfusion.
CWD disease exists in 18 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in both free-ranging and farmed cervids. Effective management of CWD requires the development and application of an integrated risk management framework based on sound principles of risk assessment and management, the harmonization of regulations across jurisdictions, and continued surveillance.
A key goal should be the prevention of CWD from entering new provinces/territories and species.
(Edit) Eliminating Game farming of Native and Exotic species will prevent most paths of human induced introduction of the disease.
Part 2: PANEL DISCUSSION
Greg Douglas, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
Policies are needed to prevent the catastrophic spread of CWD in Canada, in terms of both geographic spread and infection of other species, in particular caribou in the North.
Although criteria still need to be developed,
zoning appears to be an effective management tool for preventing disease spread.
Economically viable cervid farms should be maintained, as they can be an important source of surveillance information and management practices.
(Edit) From Section 5. CWD in Wild Cervids in Saskatchewan,
Authored by Dr. Trent Bollinger, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Saskatchewan
"Chronic wasting disease was introduced into Saskatchewan through the importation of infected farmed elk from the United States in the late 1980s.
• Focal herd reduction is not an effective management strategy to prevent CWD spread: by the time CWD is detected in a new area, it has likely been there for some time.
• Deer migration and movement of dispersing young deer can be up to 100 km; CWD management zones are typically too small to be effective. "
The Sask. Minister of AG is ignoring the accepted science. They have determined that zoning IS NOT an effective management tool for preventing disease spread.
Herman Bulten, Alberta Elk Commission
The Alberta Elk Commission is actively working with producers across Canada to establish a national elk registry
(Edit) Note,There is NO National Registery at this time.
Producers should be consulted by CWD researchers, as they can provide valuable anecdotal evidence.
Trent Bollinger, University of Saskatchewan
There is a need for government policy and legislation that facilitates response to CWD and other similar disease threats, including access to private land and mandatory surveillance requirements.
Zheng Wang, Public Health Agency of Canada
A study has shown that nearly 40% of hunters surveyed do not wait for CWD testing results before they eat or share venison with others. On the other hand, when a subset of the same group of hunters was surveyed a second time, none reported that they would eat and share venison before receiving CWD test results.
Open Forum Discussion
• Risk assessment results would provide the basis for a national strategy for dealing with CWD, one that would both address wildlife and human health risks and provide the necessary impetus for funding and action. Suggested risk assessment areas included:
• effects of the decline in the availability of cervids on the traditional lifestyle and therefore the health of First Nations people;
• risk of human infection occurring at some time in the future;
• impact of CWD on the hunting and farming industries;
• risks related to international trade; and
• impact of CWD on ecosystems and other wildlife species.
• The existing science needs to be looked at in new and different ways, for example to:
• identify movement patterns;
• demonstrate how to use culling programs at the early stages of an outbreak in a new area; and
• determine the influence of soil, environmental/ecosystem factors, small vs. large cervid ranges, gender, wild vs. farmed cervids.
• Other suggested research areas included:
• introduction sources, especially feed;
• soil content so that decisions can be made regarding where cervid farms could be located, to identify high risk areas, etc.; (Edit) This baffles me, Why risk the importation of CWD to non-infected areas through the introduction of NEW game farms? Especially when the Accepted Policy Approach is to PREVENT the spread of the disease.
• transmission and spread; and
• vaccine development.
Policy Approaches
• There is enough theoretical potential for human infection to indicate that we need to be building on the precautionary principles in dealing with CWD.
• Eradication is not currently feasible; CFIA will be shifting to a focus on control. The objective for Canada is to prevent the spread of the disease, both to new geographic regions and to new species. (Edit) Eliminating Game Farming in Canada will Eliminate human induced introductions of CWD to un-infected areas. It's so simple, why is this not being discussed?
• The challenges are not scientific: they are financial, social and political.
• There is some urgency for developing a cohesive and strategic policy plan: CFIA (and other government departments) are entering a period of cost-cutting. A compelling story will be needed to secure funding.
CWD in Canada- 2011 Updates A Big Concern for Human Safety
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