Prentiss County, Mississippi, confirms first CWD-positive deer

News brief

A hunter-harvested white-tailed buck in Prentiss County, Mississippi, has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), the county's first detection.

In a news release, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) said the case was identified during this year's velvet season. Prentiss County is located in the northwest corner of the state and abuts four other affected counties.

This detection does not require any changes to existing CWD management zones or regulations.

"Although it is a new positive case for the county, Prentiss County was already included in the North Mississippi CWD Management Zone," MDWFP wrote. "As a result, this detection does not require any changes to existing CWD management zones or regulations."

A total of 447 deer in 18 counties have tested positive in the state since February 2018. "MDWFP encourages all hunters to submit deer for testing," the release said.

Fatal neurodegenerative disease of cervids

CWD is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of cervids such as deer, elk, and moose. It is caused by infectious misfolded proteins called prions, which spread from animal to animal and through environmental contamination. Health authorities recommend against eating the meat of infected or sick cervids and advise taking precautions when handling their carcasses.

Three large turkey farms in Minnesota hit with H5N1 avian flu

News brief

Stephanie Soucheray, MA

Three large turkey farms in Minnesota have reported H5N1 avian flu among their poultry flocks, according to the latest updates from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

In Kandiyohi County, 30,400 birds were affected, while 92,000 turkeys were affected in Meeker County and 61,000 birds in Stearns County. All are in the south central part of the state.

Backyard flocks affected in Oregon, Idaho, and Wisconsin

APHIS also noted several outbreaks in backyard flocks, most recently in Malheur County, Oregon, affecting 70 birds. Also reported are two Idaho backyard outbreaks in Gem and Madison counties, and a small backyard flock in Racine County, Wisconsin.

Over the past 30 days, highly pathogenic avian flu has been confirmed in 47 flocks, including 28 commercial flocks and 19 in backyard locations. Over that period, more than 6.41 million birds were affected. Since the start of the US H5N1 outbreak in February 2022, the disease has led to the direct deaths or culling of 181.7 million poultry.

In the past week, 4 commercial and 5 backyard locations were hit.

Locally acquired chikungunya reported in New York state, first US case in 6 years

News brief

Stephanie Soucheray, MA

A woman from Long Island, New York, has the first case of locally acquired chikungunya documented in that state, according to New York officials. This also marks the first locally acquired case of the mosquito-borne illness in the United States since 2019.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says officials have reported 88 confirmed or probable chikungunya cases in the United States this year, but all have been linked to travel.

The woman sickened in New York state is a resident of Nassau County, and reported no international travel before she experienced symptom onset in early August, according to county health officials. It's likely she caught the virus from the Aedes albopictus mosquito, which is present in parts of downstate New York.

Cooler temps should lessen risk

"Mosquito bites are more than just a nuisance, they can sometimes spread illnesses that affect both people and animals," said County Commissioner of Health Irina Gelman, MD in the county press release. "While the 2025 mosquito season is essentially over with cooler weather in Nassau County, this case serves as a reminder to take precautions against mosquito bites during the season and when traveling to areas where mosquito-borne illnesses are present."

This case serves as a reminder to take precautions against mosquito bites during the season and when traveling to areas where mosquito-borne illnesses are present.

Chikungunya is rarely fatal, but it can cause fever and sometimes severe joint pain.