The discovery this spring of 86 cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in northern Arkansas has led the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to increase sample collection for testing of the disease.

This 10-point buck and other deer in the state are at greater risk for the spread of disease due to the drought. (photo credit, Noppadol Paothong)

This 10-point buck and other deer in the state are at greater risk for the spread of disease due to the drought. (photo credit, Noppadol Paothong)

CWD is a disease that is spread from deer to deer and is fatal to all deer it infects. This neurological disease infects only deer and other members of the cervid family by causing degeneration of brain tissue.

As has been MDC’s procedure since Missouri’s first positive CWD case was confirmed in 2010, the agency has increased sample collecting and surveillance around areas where the disease has been found. A focus area of 50 miles from Arkansas’ CWD positive tests has been established. This consists of the Missouri counties of Barry, Christian, Douglas, Ozark, Stone and Taney. Since mid-spring, MDC staff has increased efforts in these counties to collect samples from sick and road-killed deer to test for CWD.

The current effort represents sample collecting of a greater magnitude in southern Missouri, but this isn’t the first time samples have been collected in this part of the state. Since 2002, it has periodically intensified sample collection in some parts of Missouri, either on a rotational basis to make sure all parts of the state are being tested or because the detection of a positive case has warranted increased focus on a particular area.

MDC’s current statewide surveillance (“statewide” being defined as meaning outside of counties that have already been established as CWD Management Zone focus counties) concentrates on one-half of the state each year. For the 2015-2016 deer hunting seasons, MDC’s focus was on southern Missouri. Most of these samples came from hunter-harvested deer and were collected by cooperating taxidermists.

To date, more than 51,000 deer have been tested for CWD in Missouri. A total of 27 cases of the disease have been confirmed in the state. These have been found in the northeast, central and east-central portions of the state. At present, no animals collected from southern Missouri have tested positive for CWD.

MDC is maintaining close contact with Arkansas Game and Fish personnel to monitor findings and collaboratively interpret what this means for Missouri.