The Wyoming Game and Fish Department says a hunter-harvested female elk has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) for the first time in Elk Hunt Area 23.
Located mainly in the Casper region in the east-central part of the state, Elk Hunt Area 23 shares its border with Elk Hunt Areas 48, 16, and 19, which have all reported cases of the fatal neurodegenerative disease.
CWD has been found in 35 US states, five Canadian provinces, and in Norway, Finland, Sweden, and South Korea.
"In 2023, Game and Fish personnel tested more than 5,000 CWD lymph node samples from deer and elk—primarily submitted by hunters—and continue to evaluate new recommendations for trying to manage the disease," a news release yesterday said.
Cases identified in 35 states
CWD, which is caused by infectious misfolded proteins called prions, affects cervids such as elk, deer, moose, and reindeer. It has been found in 35 US states, five Canadian provinces, and in Norway, Finland, Sweden, and South Korea.
While CWD hasn't been identified in people, the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend against eating meat from infected or sick animals and advise taking care when handling the carcasses.
