About Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

Information for deer hunters and consumers about CWD disease, including occurrence, transmission, prevention, processing, and consuming venison.

• CDC: About Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
  Information about CWD, occurrence, transmission and prevention from the CDC.
   
• Chronic Wasting Disease and Potential Transmission to Humans
  CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases article published in June of 2004 (Vol. 10, No. 6).

CWD Recommendations for Hunters

• Do not consume meat from thin or sick-appearing animals, or animals exhibiting unusual behavior.
  Do not consume meat from known CWD positive animals.
  • Wear rubber, latex or nitrile gloves when field dressing carcasses.
  • Wash hands and equipment thoroughly with soap and water after field dressing carcasses and processing meat.
  • Request that individual animals be processed without including meat from other deer.
  • Avoid consuming brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, or lymph nodes from deer.
• For hunters who desire it, testing of individual animals is available at the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, at owner’s expense.
  • U of M, VDL: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Testing Submission
• Field to Fork: Field Dressing Deer with Food Safety in Mind (PDF)
  Proper Field Dressing, Transportation and Processing, Donating hunter-harvested deer in Minnesota, and Chronic Wasting Disease Information for Hunters. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Information about CWD in Minnesota

• Chronic wasting disease management
  Information from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on CWD management.
   
• Chronic Wasting Disease
  General information about CWD in Minnesota from the Minnesota Deer Hunter's Association.

CWD in Wisconsin

• Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
  Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Chronic Wasting Disease and Wisconsin Deer.