Program ID: Innovation Anthology #214
Program Date: 04/07/2009
Program Category: Health and Medicine, Prions, Social Sciences, Wildlife
CWD Potential Risk to Human Health
Chronic wasting disease is an emerging epidemic among deer and elk on the prairies.
CWD is the cervid equivalent of mad cow disease. And according to Dr. Daniel Krewski, an expert in population health risk assessment, prion researchers are very worried about the impact of CWD on human health.
DR. DANIEL KREWSKI: And what would happen if that disease were to jump the species barrier. Hunters who consume deer and elk who may have CWD What we would like to do is get out ahead of the risk curve and try to anticipate and prevent the next transmission of a disease of this type to humans. So we are focusing on is it possible that CWD could transmit to humans? We will be hosting an expert group meeting in Ottawa where we are bringing over 10 international experts in this area to ask that question. Are there things that we can do to try to prevent that from happening as was the case with BSE turning into vCJD (variant Creutzfeld-Jacob disease) from the consumption of beef contaminated with the BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) agent?
Dr. Krewski emphasizes the importance of investing now in preventive action to contain chronic wasting disease.
Thanks today to Canadian Institutes for Health Research.
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY, I'M CHERYL CROUCHER
Images
Dr. Daniel Krewski
