Florida Enhances Surveillance Following New Chronic Wasting Disease Cases in Deer
Florida wildlife authorities have intensified monitoring efforts after confirming two chronic wasting disease (CWD) cases in deer within the state. This neurodegenerative disease poses a significant threat to local deer populations and the hunting economy dependent on them.
Recent CWD Findings Near State Borders
On October 7, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported a second CWD case in Holmes County, close to the Alabama border. The infected animal, a doe killed by a vehicle, was found less than a mile from the site’s first positive case in 2023. Notably, Georgia recently identified a CWD-positive deer in Lowndes County, just five miles north of Florida’s border.
Understanding Chronic Wasting Disease
CWD is a contagious, fatal brain disorder affecting cervids, caused by prions—misfolded proteins that destroy brain tissue and central nervous system function.
- Infected deer exhibit symptoms such as extreme weight loss, disorientation, and impaired coordination.
- The disease progresses over several years, with infected deer shedding infectious prions before symptoms arise.
- Prions can persist in soil and the environment for over a decade, facilitating long-term transmission risks.
Implications for Florida’s Wildlife and Economy
Though no evidence links CWD to human infection, the disease’s spread threatens to destabilize Florida’s deer populations and disrupt longstanding hunting traditions critical to the state’s economy.
“CWD has the potential to substantially reduce infected deer populations,” FWC expert Ashlee Brahier Sklute stated. Cooperation among wildlife agencies, hunters, and landowners is ongoing to mitigate the disease’s spread.
Historical and Regional Context
First identified in Colorado in 1967, CWD has expanded to 32 states, with Georgia being the newest addition following three detections this year. Florida now joins this list of affected states, signaling a pressing concern for southern deer herds.
Additional reporting and sources from: Florida boosts monitoring for chronic wasting disease in deer
