THE death of three hunters from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is likely to heighten fears that people in North America are contracting a new form of the fatal brain disorder from deer. But the surveillance system in the US is so woefully inadequate that even if these fears are unfounded, it is impossible for researchers to rule out the possibility.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease spreading among elk and mule deer in North America. It is similar to mad cow disease, raising fears people eating contaminated venison could develop a form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) like that blamed on…
