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Andrew, the transmission method has been supposedly identified.
The DNR is saying that nose-to-nose contact by the deer spreads the CWD prions. This happens where people bait and feed the deer. The deer group together, feeding nose-to-nose. This happens to an even greater extent on the private deer farms.
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Ahh. Wondering how it was getting transmitted around was really racking my brain...
Although it still seems like a "low probability" method of transmission compared to ingestion of infected tissue. Unless it's a more transmissable prion.
that would be bad news.
If we're lucky, it's a protien that's incompatible with humans and would be no different than a normal protien and be simply metabolized. But I don't know if that's possible or not.
I wonder if prions are some kind of population check that's naturally evolved into certain species? Perhaps they lay dormant, but start to spread only when conditions would normally be considered "overcrowding" for a given species. Farms would create an unnatrual crowding condition and the prions would start up. And cannibalisim would also indicate crowding, since it is usually a desperation measure to survive and might indicate famine or overcrowding as well, and the prions kick in, reducing the poplulation, but ensuring the survival of the species.
Just random thoughts on prions I've been having. Sorry to ramble.