Brits on health alert as ‘zombie deer disease’ could ‘pass to humans’ | World | News
Two hunters have died amid fears they contracted the so-called “zombie deer disease” after eating infected meat. The US pair died soon after eating deer meat which scientists believe carried chronic wasting disease (CWD). Now it’s sparked panic that the disease could pass from deer to humans as they both developed similar neurological symptoms as seen in animals. The disease has been nicknamed “zombie deer disease” as infected deer give a telltale blank stare. It attacks the brain and nervous system, leaving animals drooling, lethargic, stumbling and wasting away. Experts are worried that it could be a rerun of mad cow disease which also infected humans in the 90s. Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have examined the hunters’ deaths in 2022. Their findings suggest the disease may already be spreading from animals to humans. In a report published in the journal Neurology, they said: “The patient’s history, including a similar case in his social group, suggests a possible novel animal-to-human transmission of CWD.” According to The Sun, one …
