The Canadian government quietly released a warning last April declaring that “progressive and fatal neurological disease affecting deer, elk, and moose populations in western Canada and the United States might in fact be able to infect humans.”
the neurological disease in question is the terrifyingly named Chronic Wasting Disease which has been plaguing north American deer populations for decades. The disease is very similar to mad cow disease in that misfolded proteins, known as prions, attack the brain to the point that the infected animal eventually dies a slow and horrible death.
Up until now the belief was that humans were protected from CWD by a spieces barrier, but a recent study on 18 macaques exposed to CWD proved that prions will stop at nothing to get to our delicious brains.
According to the study, “To date, three of five macaques fed a total of five kilograms of infected white tail deer meat over a three-year period tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
That’s the human equivalent of eating a seven-ounce steak per month.
“If someone consumed venison for his life, this portion would represent the equivalent amount,” explained Czub.
Two of three macaques fed deer meat developed the symptoms of the disease, including anxiety, ataxia (essentially a lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements) and tremors.
One animal lost a third of its body weight in a six-month period.
Two macaques that had infected matter inserted into their brains via steel wire also developed the disease.
Incubation times ranged from 4.5 to nearly 7 years. that’s important to note because these types of prion disease are known to take years before showing signs of infection. So someone who eats a venison steak today may not know they’re infected for close to a decade when the spontaneously lose control of their body.
All of this made me think a few things; one why would you quietly release this information. That sounds like something you’d really want to put on blast. two is there anything in the world that will make me want to stop eating meat, because i can tell you right now, despite what I’ve just read. I’m still going to eat meat. I must hate myself.
The only thing this deer’s chronically wasting is this guy’s sense of entitlement.