Scientists have warned that the disease could spread to humans after hundreds of animals became infected with the disease in the United States last year.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), which causes animals to drool, become lethargic, stagger, and look dazed, was found in 800 specimens of deer, elk, and moose across Wyoming.
But experts warned that the disease is a “slow-growing disaster” and urged governments to prepare for possible human transmission.
“The mad cow disease outbreak in the UK is an example of how a spillover event from livestock to humans can turn into a catastrophic situation overnight,” CWD researcher Dr Corey Anderson told the Guardian. told the paper.
“We’re talking about the possibility of something similar happening. No one is saying it’s definitely going to happen, but it’s important for people to be prepared.”
Mad cow disease spread in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s when cattle were fed infected meat and bone meal, resulting in the slaughter of 4.4 million cattle.
The disease is usually fatal to cattle, infecting the central nervous system and causing aggressive symptoms and a lack of coordination in cattle. Since 1995, 178 deaths are believed to be caused by the human variant.
In 2017, between 7,000 and 15,000 CWD-infected animals were preyed on by humans annually, according to the Public Wildlife Alliance.
This number was expected to increase by 20% each year. Dr. Anderson said that perhaps thousands of people in Wisconsin have eaten meat from infected deer.
CWD is very difficult to eradicate once the environment is infected. It can remain on stains and surfaces for years, and scientists report that it is resistant to disinfectants, formaldehyde, radiation, and incineration at 600°C (1,100°F).
This comes after US biotech company Ginko Bioworks warned that diseases transmitted from animals to humans could kill 12 times more people in 2050 than in 2020.
The company said climate change and deforestation could cause zoonotic disease outbreaks (known as spillover effects) to become more frequent in the future.
The group’s research shows that from 1963 to 2019, outbreaks increased by almost 5% each year and deaths increased by 9%.
“If these annual growth rates continue, the pathogens analyzed are expected to cause four times as many spillover events and 12 times as many deaths in 2050 compared to 2020,” the report said. I warned you.