November 29, 2005

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was not detected in samples taken from hunter-killed deer during the state's 2006 hunting season, according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife veterinarian.

Because CWD was identified in New York and West Virginia in 2005, Cottrell noted that the agency continues to increase the number of deer samples it collects for testing. In 2006, 4,260 samples were tested from hunter-killed deer, and CWD was not detected.

In 2005, 3,834 samples were tested from hunter-killed deer, and CWD was not detected. In 2004, 3,613 hunter-killed deer samples were tested, compared to the 2,004 deer sampled in 2003, and 558 in 2002. CWD was not detected in previous year's samples.

Results showing that the CWD tests of hunter-killed elk from 2006 were all negative and were announced on March 2.

"We are pleased to report that Pennsylvania continues to have no confirmed or suspected cases of wild deer or elk with CWD," Cottrell said. "By conducting these tests from a random sample of hunter-killed deer and on all hunter-killed elk, we help to assure ourselves and the general public that it is unlikely that CWD is present in wild deer and elk in the state."

The CWD tests on deer and elk samples were conducted by the New Bolton Center, which is the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

Under a contract with Penn State University, the elk samples also were tested for brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis and found to be free of those diseases.

All costs for conducting these tests are covered by a $75,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The federal grant pays for all testing, materials and supplies, and some of the agency's personnel costs for sample collection.

Heads from hunter-killed deer were collected from deer processors by deer aging teams during the two-week rifle deer season. Specific tissues were collected from these heads at Game Commission region offices by agency personnel and Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of agriculture animal health officials. This marked the sixth year for testing hunter-killed elk and the fifth year for testing hunter-killed deer. In total, 224 elk and nearly 14,300 deer have been tested.

"The test results are good news," Cottrell said. "Although CWD has not been found in Pennsylvania, we must continue to be vigilant in our CWD monitoring efforts. The surveillance work we are doing is important for the early detection of CWD.

"We already are planning to continue random testing of hunter-killed deer and elk during the 2007-08 seasons, and we are pleased that the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of agriculture will continue to play an important role in this disease surveillance program."