Chronic wasting disease has been identified in a captive elk in Clark County, SD.
State Veterinarian Dr. Dustin Oedekoven says the owner of the 21-month old female elk noticed the animal was ill and contacted his veterinarian, who submitted samples to the Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at South Dakota State University in Brookings. The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, IA, later confirmed positive test results for the fatal disease.
CWD is a progressive neurologic disease of deer, elk and moose caused by an
abnormal prion protein in the brain of affected animals. It can be transmitted to other deer, elk or moose through saliva, urine, feces and other bodily fluids. The disease is not known to affect humans and is not transmissible to other livestock species. CWD is endemic in free-ranging deer and elk in and around the Black Hills and was last diagnosed in captive elk in the state in 2001.
Dr. Oedekoven says state and federal animal health officials are working together with the owner of the affected herd to investigate this disease and mitigate further infection. South Dakota wildlife officials have been notified and will assess potential impact to wildlife species and consider the potential for surveillance of free ranging deer, elk and moose in the area.
In 2012, testing for CWD became voluntary under the state’s USDA approved voluntary CWD herd certification program. The affected herd does not participate in the voluntary program.
