The growing US epidemic of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the 'mad deer disease' that has begun a massive shooting of over 15,000 deer in Wisconsin to try to stop its spread, is finally drawing some excellent journalistic coverage to the threat of mad cow-type diseases in the US. Ever since Oprah Winfrey was sued for the "food disparagement" crime of examining US mad cow risks [3], the US media has been cowed into giving very little attention to this very serious disease issue. The spread of 'mad deer disease' is changing that. The Rocky Mountain News last week ran an excellent series [4] on the issue, and today is editorializing about the need for state agencies to admit the possibility that mad deer disease might claim human lives, and to warn hunters and venison consumers appropriately. "Unlike mad cow disease, CWD is spread from animal to animal in nature, and perhaps through something as simple as nose-to-nose contact.
So imagine if CWD did jump the species barrier into humans, and that the new version of the disease turned out to be as contagious as it is among deer. We're dealing with something that science at the moment simply doesn't fully understand. Total honesty with the public is the only responsible way to proceed."