"Assessing the Human Risk of 'Zombie Deer Disease' as Experts Push for Preventative Measures"
Scientists are investigating the potential for the zombie deer disease, also known as chronic wasting disease (CWD), to spread to humans through experimental studies. While no human cases have been reported, the rising number of cases in the US has raised concerns. CWD is a prion disease affecting deer, elk, and other animals, with prions spread through bodily fluids. The cause of misfolding in prion proteins remains a mystery, but researchers are working to understand the risk of transmission to humans, with conflicting evidence and structural differences from mad cow disease.