As the fall hunting season progresses, it's important to be aware of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a type of spongiform encephalopathy similar to mad cow disease, that afflicts deer and elk in North America.

Though there are no confirmed cases of animal-to-human infection, the disease may take several years to surface, so the Center for Disease Control recommends that everyone follow these guidelines:

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• Avoid eating meat from deer and elk that look sick or test positive for CWD.
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• If you harvest deer or elk from areas known to be CWD positive, consider having the animals tested before consuming them. Most state wildlife agencies have information about testing services.
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While scientists don't know for sure how this degenerative neurological illness is transmitted, evidence suggests the disease is spread through direct animal-to-animal contact, or through contaminated feed and water sources.

CWD was first identified in captive mule deer during the late 1960s in Colorado, and in wild populations by 1981. In the mid-'90s, CWD was found among free-ranging deer and elk in northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming, where the disease is now endemic.

Cases of CWD have been reported in the following 11 states: Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

For more information, including specific recommendations on field dressing deer and elk, visit the Center for Disease Control site, or the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance.