‘Zombie deer’: What chronic wasting disease in deer means for hunting season in B.C. – SFU expert available

With hunting season now underway in British Columbia, researchers at Simon Fraser University, with support from Genome BC, are raising awareness about chronic wasting disease (CWD) among deer in the province.

Sometimes called “zombie deer” disease, CWD is a fatal infection that affects the deer family, including mule and white-tailed deer, elk, moose and caribou. Deer with CWD often appear healthy until very late stages of the disease where they are unsteady, stumbling and are often very thin. The disease is difficult to manage and nearly impossible to eradicate. While no cases of the disease have been documented in people, it is not known if the disease can be transmitted to humans.

In January, CWD was detected for the first time in B.C. in two deer in the East Kootenays. This hunting season, deer hunted in certain wildlife management units in the province are subject to mandatory submission to provincial testing locations, while in other areas of the province inspection is still voluntary.

SFU assistant professor Kaylee Byers is the regional deputy director of the B.C. node of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and collaborates with the Wildlife Health Program in the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, which leads CWD surveillance in the province. The critical research partnership is funded by Genome BC and uses population genomics to better understand how the disease may spread, which areas are most likely to be affected and to identify what targeted strategies may be most effective to prevent continued infection.

Byers can speak about the implications of CWD's appearance in B.C., the importance hunter participation in surveillance and the difficulties managing and eradicating the disease.

AVAILABLE SFU EXPERT

KAYLEE BYERS, assistant professor, health sciences  
kbyers@sfu.ca
Expertise: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing and management in cervids, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose, elk and caribou; wildlife health; wildlife management.

CONTACT

JEFF HODSON, SFU Communications & Marketing 
jdhodson@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University
Communications & Marketing |  SFU Media Experts Directory
778.782.3210

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