The claws of ‘Zombie Deer Disease’ are slowly engulfing American grasslands as the cases of this bizarre disease continue to rise among deer.
The spike in cases has become a cause of concern among scientists and they are worried that the disease may evolve to infect humans.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), as it is otherwise known, is a contagious neurological condition that can kill virtually every animal it infects
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the fatal disease affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose.
The lethal disease affects host’s brain and nervous system, leaving deer drooling, stumbling, lethargic and with a blank stare, leading some to call it “zombie deer disease”.
According to a report by Daily Mail, recent studies have shown that the prions can infect and multiply in human cells in lab conditions
It is thought that humans may contract the disease from eating infected venison, or via contact with contaminated soil and water.
The CDC maintains that if CWD could spread to people, it would most likely be through eating of infected deer and elk.