Second Presumptive Chronic Wasting Disease Positive Case in Deer Reported in Louisiana

Louisiana – On December 29, 2022, the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (LADDL) reported the first suspected case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) for the 2022-23 hunting season to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).

LADDL has sent the suspect sample to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for confirmation testing. If confirmed, this would be Louisiana’s second CWD case.

The presumptive positive was based on samples given by LDWF employees from a hunter-harvested adult deer taken on private land in Tensas Parish. While this is the first suspect positive case of CWD in the 2022-23 hunting season, a positive was verified in the same parish on January 28, 2022. Since a case of CWD was discovered in Issaquena County, Mississippi, in 2018, Tensas Parish has been under increased surveillance by LDWF.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has approved restrictions for the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Control Area in northeast Louisiana. The present CWD Control Area encompasses all of Tensas Parish as well as portions of Madison and Franklin parishes. Follow this link to understand more about CWD and the full set of regulations.

CWD is a neurological illness that affects white-tailed deer and other Cervidae family members. It is caused by a prion, an infectious, misfolded protein particle, and is lethal in infected deer after an indefinite incubation period. CWD has no cure or vaccination.

CWD-infected deer may show indicators of weight loss and emaciation, salivation, frequent drinking and urinating, incoordination, circling, and lack of fear of humans, and always results in the animal’s death.

Although CWD has not been demonstrated to be communicable to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization advise against eating deer infected with CWD. It is also suggested that persons who hunt in areas known to have CWD-infected deer get their deer tested for the disease before eating the animals. LDWF will provide free testing for deer caught by hunters.

Hunters who want their harvested deer tested for CWD should contact their local LDWF Field Office. In addition, seven CWD sample drop-off points are placed within the CWD Control Area. The brainstem and lymph nodes of the head are examined. The head and five inches or more of the neck can be removed and chilled for submission to LDWF. If desired, the skull plate and antlers can be removed before testing.

The LDWF regional office contact information and locations are as follows:

• Hammond Office 985-543-4777 42371 Phyllis Ann Drive Hammond;
• Lafayette Office 337-262-2080 200 Dulles Drive Lafayette;
• Lake Charles Office 337-491-2575 1025 Tom Watson Road, Lake Charles;
• Minden Office 318-371-3050 9961 Hwy 80, Minden;
• Monroe Office 318-343-4044 368 Century Link Dr, Monroe;
• Pineville Office 318-487-5885 765 Maryhill Rd., Pineville.

More information and CWD sample drop-off locations for the CWD Control Area can be found by following this link.

Follow this link for more information, or contact LDWF Deer Program Manager Johnathan Bordelon [email protected] or State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Jim LaCour [email protected].