Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic Wasting Disease is a disease that afflicts deer and elk.  The disease is caused by "prions", “proteinaceous infectious particle”.

A "log five" reduction in viable organisms is the current "standard" for efficient sanitation.  That is one viable organism for every 100,000 that entered the process.  Current research indicates that the log five temperature is over 160 degrees C (360 degrees F).  You may be thinking, no problem, my oven goes to 400 F.  The problem is that as long as any moisture exists in the meat the inside of the roast will not exceed 100 C or 212 F unless cooked in a pressure cooker with a pressure capability of 90 psi.

Prions are even more primitive than virus.  Unlike virus and most bacteria, prions are resistant to heat (cooking)  Prions also cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Scrapies in sheep and Mad Cow Disease.  It is assumed that prions are capable of infecting across species.

Chronic Wasting Disease documented in these counties.

Chronic Wasting Disease was most prevalent in Colorado/Wyoming, presumably because deer and elk over-winter in very high density in the valleys.  There is also a large cluster in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Michigan has been monitoring and found a small cluster (a family group) in Meridian township, Ingham county.  Most recently, an infected deer was harvested in Clinton county, one county north of Ingham county.

It seems likely that all artificial feeding of deer will be forbidden, much as it is in Northern Michigan where tuberculosis is endemic.

This is probably a good year to plant some more oak and apple trees.