What’s Eating Bambi’s Mother?

What in the hailstones is CWD? What plague is this? So this is what we get for eating Bambi’s mother?

Zombie Deer Disease

What plague is this?

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a contagious neurological disease that affects deer, elk, and moose. It is caused by abnormal proteins called prions and is similar to other prion diseases such as mad cow disease in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. CWD affects the brain and spinal cord of infected animals, leading to progressive neurological degeneration and ultimately death. It is characterized by symptoms such as weight loss, lack of coordination, excessive salivation, and behavioral changes. CWD is a significant concern for wildlife management and conservation efforts, as well as for public health, due to its potential to spread to other species.

When I inquired whether cooking meat well could neutralize prions, ChatGPT responded, stating that unfortunately, cooking does not effectively neutralize prions. Prions are highly resistant to heat, and conventional cooking methods such as grilling, baking, or frying may not completely destroy them. Consequently, there remains a risk of transmitting prion diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) to humans even if the meat is cooked thoroughly. Health authorities recommend against consuming meat from animals known to be infected with CWD. Additionally, hunters are advised to have their harvested animals tested for CWD and to follow guidelines for safe handling and processing of meat. These precautions help reduce the risk of transmission of prion diseases to humans.

How about microwaving the meat like with beef that has E.coli , will that neutralize the prions? Microwaving, like other cooking methods, is generally not effective in neutralizing prions. Prions are highly resistant to heat, and while microwaving can heat food quickly and thoroughly, it may not completely destroy prions present in infected meat.

Given the potential risks associated with consuming meat from animals infected with prion diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), health authorities recommend against eating such meat. It's important to prioritize safety and follow guidelines for handling and processing meat from hunted animals to minimize the risk of prion transmission to humans.