Deer foraging within the city -- LNN

By Dori Modney

Alberta and Saskatchewan to fund research into chronic wasting disease

Jan 25, 2022 | 5:12 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — It’s a persistent problem that has escaped resolution for decades. Now, Alberta and Saskatchewan environmental agencies are joining forces to development of an oral vaccine for chronic wasting disease (CWD) to control the spread of the wildlife disease.

CWD is a prion disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer and moose. It’s been found in some areas of Canada, the United States, Norway and South Korea. The fatal, and contagious illness has spread and increased in prevalence and can be transmitted freely among cervid populations.

Alberta Environment and Parks has partnered with Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment and the Alberta Conservation Association, on a project led by researchers from four universities in Western Canada. The project will examine five potential antigens and two different oral delivery platforms to help prevent the spread of CWD.

Environment and Parks is providing $381,000 over two years to support CWD vaccine and management research at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta. The Alberta Conservation Association is providing $500,000 over five years through their research fund and Saskatchewan is committing $400,000 over five years through their Fish and Wildlife Development Fund.

The project`s chief scientist, Dr. Jonathan Thompson, believes the project could have a far reaching impact.

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“Environment and Parks is pleased to provide ongoing support for CWD research and monitoring to help address what many biologists consider as the most significant disease-related wildlife conservation issue in North America. An effective oral vaccine for CWD has the potential to significantly reduce prevalence and geographic spread of this disease in wild cervids, and consequently reduce the risk of environmental contamination from prion shed.”

Alberta Conservation Association President and CEO, Todd Zimmerling, believes that if the issue isn`t dealt with, there will be future consequences.

“CWD poses a significant risk to the future of wildlife resources across Alberta, Saskatchewan and other jurisdictions. With this funding commitment, the Alberta Conservation Association, on behalf of the hunters and anglers of Alberta, has drawn together the top researchers in the field of CWD vaccine development. Through this collaboration, we are optimistic that this project can make significant strides toward providing a new management option for controlling CWD in wild cervid populations.”

At this point, Alberta monitors CWD more extensively than any other jurisdiction. Each year, approximately 11,000 heads of cervids harvested by hunters are tested to track the prevalence and rate of geographic spread of CWD. In addition to informing Alberta’s wildlife management strategies, the data and specimens collected through this program support nearly all of the CWD research conducted by the academic community in Western Canada.

Since September 2005, a total of 3,585 cases have been detected. Alberta Health, Health Canada and the World Health Organizations all advise that any deer harvested in a jurisdiction affected by CWD be tested for the disease and, if positive, that the animal not be consumed.

Most of the CWD vaccines developed to date have been delivered by injection. However, an oral vaccine that can be delivered via forage would be more efficient.

• CWD surveillance – Updates
• CWD – Information for hunters