A fatal neurological disease affecting deer has been detected in Wayne County, prompting state officials to establish a new Disease Management Area (DMA 10) in the northeastern part of the county.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is one of a group of diseases called prion diseases, similar to “mad cow disease,” but affects members of the deer family. The Pennsylvania Game Commission confirmed that CWD was detected earlier this year in a single captive deer in northeastern Wayne County.
The discovery marks the first time CWD has been identified in the county. DMA 10 now encompasses all of Manchester Township and parts of Buckingham, Preston, Mount Pleasant, Lebanon and Damascus townships.
Background on CWD
CWD spreads through animal-to-animal contact or contaminated environments. Once introduced, it has been notoriously difficult to eliminate. Pennsylvania’s first cases were detected in 2012, and the disease has slowly spread across the state since.
“This disease management area that the Game Commission has established … is the 10th disease management area,” said Liam Mayo, News Editor at The River Reporter, during a recent interview on Radio Catskill. “Most of the other ones in Pennsylvania have only spread since their initial creation.”
One exception, Mayo noted, was Pennsylvania’s first DMA, which was established around a captive deer population. That area was declared free of CWD after five years without additional detections, offering hope that DMA 10 could see a similar outcome.
New Restrictions for Hunters
While hunting remains permitted within DMA 10, several restrictions are now in place:
- Hunters cannot remove “high-risk” parts of deer, such as the head, spinal column, and spleen, from the DMA.
- Feeding deer is prohibited.
- The Game Commission is encouraging hunters to participate in free testing programs, where they can drop off deer heads for CWD testing.
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is no evidence that CWD can infect humans, the agency advises against eating meat from infected animals.
“Hunting is actually part of the DMA management strategy,” Mayo explained. “It’s considered part of the solution to managing CWD.”
Community Concerns
The presence of CWD is alarming for Wayne County’s hunting community, which is a cornerstone of local culture and economy.
Adam Hill, a Wayne County game farmer, told The River Reporter that the news is “incredibly concerning,” especially given the disease’s persistence in other states.
“Northern Wayne County especially is kind of … an oasis for deer hunting,” Hill said. “It’s hard to find a family who doesn’t hunt deer here in Wayne County.”
Follow this story at The River Reporter.
Image: Chronic wasting disease is has been detected in at least 23 states, two Canadian provinces, and South Korea. CWD is not known to infect livestock or humans. (Credit: US Geological Survey)