SCI/TECH: "Mad Cow" Spreading in Deer and Elk

"Chronic wasting disease" in deer and elk is caused by a specific infectious prion strain, related to "Mad Cow" disease. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department wants to start regulating the disposal of deer and elk carcasses. Chronic wasting disease is found in wild herds in Wyoming and Colorado, and also Nebraska, New Mexico, Illinois, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin. It has spread to domestic herds in Colorado, Montana and other states.

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The Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colorado flagged the problem again last year, in the journal "Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology."






Unfortunately, no one paid much attention. Still playing the "Strain Game," authorities insist that there is "no evidence chronic wasting disease can spread to humans." Technically, this is true. Humans do not "get" that particular strain of prion disease and so, don't get deer and elk chronic wasting disease. But, research shows that prion strains do cross species barriers, infect victims in other species and 'adapt' by mutating into new strains. The new strains are specific to the new species, and cause new and different diseases in that species.





The second big myth about prion diseases involves transmission: "Researchers have yet to discover how chronic wasting disease spreads." Again, technically true. No one has tracked the 'chronic wasting disease' prion to confirm that it spreads exactly like other prions are known to spread. Unfortunately, research on prion transmission in the USA was stalled when President Bush defined prions as "select agents" under anti-terrorist legislation.

The old news is that prions spread in urine and other bodily fluids, including blood - which means that soil and groundwater are contaminated easily, then waterways and finally, tapwater. So burying diseased carcasses is a really bad idea - even in 'approved' landfills. Burning carcasses only works at very high temperatures; if temperatures are not high enough, the prions are simply released into the air. And just to make matters really interesting, prions can use insects and microbes like viruses as vehicles of transmission.





The technology now exists to kill prions, and prevent their spread. It is not being used. It will not be used until people stand together and demand protection, and prevention.



Related News Links:
www.aberdeennews.com
laramiewy.usl.myareaguide.com
www.state.nd.us
www.ext.nodak.edu

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
OP/ED: The Final Solution
ATS: Merck and Vioxx: A Twisted Tale of Cover-ups, Pork and Profits
NEWS: Mad Cow Disease Is Found In Goat
SCI/TECH: "Mad Cow" Disease Uses Immune System to Spread in Body



[edit on 3-2-2005 by Banshee]

[edit on 3-2-2005 by Banshee]

[edit on 3-2-2005 by Banshee]

Also see:

Chronic Wasting Disease and Potential Transmission to Humans

www.cdc.gov...
www.abovetopsecret.com...



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How did the prions cross over? Last time I checked deer and elk were not "carnivores". Was it from "deerhunter" feeding at the deer stands? Or was there something else. Perhaps a bioresearch lab located at the heart of the infected area? Poor biowaste control?

[edit on 3-2-2005 by DrHoracid]

I remember a year or so ago (sorry no link -- just my memory) that there was a theory that elk and deer had jumped fences and possibly eaten cow feed that was infected-- which is one reason I haven't eaten the elk in my freezer that was a gift from a friend.

But it has also made me wonder about the beef in the US since what the elk was supposed to have eaten was in the US also.

jm

See above: The second big myth about prion diseases involves transmission

The old news is that prions spread in urine and other bodily fluids, including blood - which means that soil and groundwater are contaminated easily, then waterways and finally, tapwater.

...So burying diseased carcasses is a really bad idea - even in 'approved' landfills.

...Burning carcasses only works at very high temperatures; if temperatures are not high enough, the prions are simply released into the air.

...And just to make matters really interesting, prions can use insects and microbes like viruses as vehicles of transmission.


So we're looking at multiple sources of cross-over and infection. ...Looks like you are focusing on bio-labs as a source of new strains, as well as electro-magnetic fields - definitely important factors, I would think.

My focus looks at 'fibromuscular dysplasia' being the first 'cross-over' prion strain, introduced into humans in the early 1900's - and originally spread from humans to animals. Since then prions have become epidemic, and bounce around species with regularity - creating new diseases with every go-round.

....So we have (at least) two fronts here:

1. The role of bio-technology and bio-weapons research labs in creating new strains and routinely releasing them into the environment, often 'accidentally' because appropriate filtering and other decontamination procedures are not used.

2. The already epidemic existence of numerous prion strains in soil, air, water and food - and a continuing process of adaptation and mutation - with no measures for prevention, protection and clean up planned.


....The fact that prions are "select agents" means that nobody can monitor what's happening for the public good... Cute.


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...Please, please justme - read the section on transmission in the article, and check the references. ...It's not just the feed, and feed bans won't fix the problem.



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The "original" cross over prion "may" have been mutated by electromagnetic polution.

Bio-failities have a bad habit of concentrating prions in centifuges and then just flushed them before it was really known what was happening. Now too many researchers have discovered that prions don't "die" ever.....

[edit on 3-2-2005 by DrHoracid]

Now we've pretty much established that transmission can happen through urine. When a Buck marks his territory he essentialy is leaving a point of contamination correct. One would have to assume that these prions are then released and absorbed. Rainwater would then wash the prions over a larger area thereby contaminating grass and other fodder. When they mate I asume that there would also be an infection transfer.
Now how did the prions cross over? Let's say that birds eat the contaminated feed, and spread it by their droppings, not that unrealistic if you ask me. Since the prions are able to mutate, it's really only a matter of time before it crosses over.
Soficrow, you stated that burning the bodies will only release the prions into the air if not hot enough. I've read that it has to be in excess of 1000 degrees fareignheit to kill these prions, that's hotter than burning the bodies would get I would think. Now if the prions are released into the air, is it possible that it becomes an airborne infection?
Cattle, goats, fish, now elk and deer. I think that alot more of the animal population is infected than anyone can imagine.

What Makes the Prion Lethal? Continued
The cases of spongiform disease in Britain occurred in cows, humans, cats, and other animals during the same time period. The country had been using an aggressive organophosphate program to kill the warble fly at the time of the BSE/CJD outbreak there. During the 1980s and early 1990s, cattle and cats were exclusively treated with systemically acting forms of organophosphate insecticide that were designed to penetrate the entire physiological system of the animal, transforming the bloodstream into a toxic medium that would kill off any unwanted parasites present. The entire cow carcass would become toxic to warble fly. Farmers were ordered by the Government to apply the insecticide on the backs of their cows. This could have caused nerve damage in the coated area, deforming the normal prions along the spinal cord and making them susceptible.

chemistry.about.com...

This is an interesting take on the subject......

mad cow disease, chronic wasting disease and that "bird flu" in asia........just waiting for the fish disease to show up. what an odd odd odd odd odd odd coincidence....domestect livstock infected with something weird and now wild 'livestock' infected......or should i say spreading.
both are food sources..i know others that rely on wild animals for their only meat source..no getting anitbotic filled, bloated cow meat from your local grocery store.

so once agian, what an odd odd odd odd odd coincidence...just waiting for the fish wasting disease.

didn't somebody calling themself...something like john titor say something along the lines of a disease affecting livestock or something

Soficrow actually had reported that there already are infections diagnosed in fish. I'll try and find the link.
DrHoracid also has an interesting point regarding electromagnetic polution being a culprit.

www.falconblanco.com...

Note - As I said over 5 years ago, on this site and many times on my program:
the oral/body fluid transmission of infection and death by prion is a reality. This
newest study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms that
prions in the infected and dying are readily found in nostrils. We already have
proof prions are plentiful in tonsils, tongues and muscle tissue of infected
animals and people. Someday, a brave scientist will confirm that prions are in
all general body fluids...something that is more than obvious.
Once again, I will state clearly: prions from BSE-infected animals will also be found to be present in the body fluid called milk...meaning all dairy products are susceptible to carrying prions. ALL of them. For obvious reasons, no one is daring to do the research...or at least daring to publish the results. Death by cheese, milk, ice ream and butter?

Yeah I was wondering about the milk supply. Not only does a very large amount of the products we consume contain milk as an ingredient, none of these products would be heated to the point of killing the prions.
Now for a very chilling thought. Anybody with infants can feel this one, How many babies thru toddlers drink milk, or milk based products every day? I'll bet the house that it is by far the vast majority that do indeed drink milk. Has an entire generation been infected?

You don't "kill" a Prion...it's not a living organism. It's a mis-folded protein...when you cook meat, and eat it, you're still getting "protein". Inluding the prions. Doesn't matter how well you cook the stuff...I VERY loosely think of it as kind of like eating meat with fiberglass in it (might be a bad example, but...). No matter how much you cook it, the fiberglass will still be in there. When you eat it, the fiberglass then gets caught up in your stomach, you develop diseases/cancer in your digestive system as a result. Prions are similar, only of course the symptoms are based around the nervous system. The developing proteins in your body come into contact with these "Misbehaved" proteins, and become dilinquent themselves...
Thorough cooking is not going to help anyone here. You absolutely CANNOT allow any meat infected with these diseases enter your system whatsoever, no matter what "precautions" you take, because there are none to be taken in the preparation of the contaminated product.

This has the potential to become pandemic to the entire US deer/elk herd. I have to admit that NY state is being very proactive about this. Warnings are posted in the annual game hunting brochure that's available when it's time to renew your hunting license. Our DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) is trying to get the word out and is speaking out against feeding wild deer; but the fact is that illegal feeding (baiting) as well as poaching makes it very hard to have confidence in the state saying no deer have been found with CWD in NY.

This image shows the sampling done in NY state. At this point we are being told that no samples have come back positive for CWD in NY; but I have to believe otherwise. Statistically it is only a matter of time.

external image

We also have had numerous cases of VCJD investigated in NY, in some areas where if I recall correctly (from somewhere else but I do not have a link) deer herds are very populous. It does make one wonder.

[edit on 2/3/2005 by titian]

Understood, but I think the main concern here is that the infection is so wide-spread at this point that it may already be too late. How many species have this disease that we're not even thinking about? Squirrels, possums, raccoons, poultry, swine, rabbits.... the list goes on and on, and every one of the afore mentioned species is eaten by man. Many of them are road kill, which then get eaten by other species.
I personally don't think that there is any way to absolutely ensure that you don't ingest any prions, with the exception of becoming vegan.

You are absolutely correct. Our point here is that mutated prions "PrPSC" to be precise are everywhere. This "pandemic" is already happening.

Sofi, many thanks for keeping the ATS community aware and informed on this potentially human illness.

What am I missing? What technology are we not using to cotain or prevent this disease from spreading?

good research as usually soficrow...

I just remembered an article on cow mutilations i read over a year ago, that gave very specific information about what these really were...

the source said that it was actually a black ops government project using the UFO stories as cover for the real operation.

which was to document the progression of prion diseases like Mad cow in the herd animal population and use the "wierd masochistic aliens" ruse as cover...

the evidence was very well presented and backed itself up on every level.

But the lack of a "prion disease" in the news or other outlet, made me think it was a well presented paranoid delusion...

if these 2 theories connect...
I be changin my underwear...

wow. thanks.

...this is much more than a 'potentially human illness' - it's all ready a plague, like the hydra, every time you cut off one head, 2 more grow in its place.

....we need to demand that EPA regulations be enforced - and upgraded. Hospitals and food production facilities need to be properly decontaminated and sterilized. Water needs to be nano-filtered before it enters our homes - and before it goes into our waterways. ...We need to have an oversight organization or something watching everything - and telling us about it, honestly.


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