The outline plan of Georgia DNR officials is to contain the diffusion of “zombie disease” • Georgia recorder

From the next deer season, Hunter in South Georgia has the option to drop the deer head to be tested for a disease that eats a fatal and infectious brain called “zombie deer disease.”

“We set up a self -service freezer drop -off location. Here, you can stop at this freezer location when you leave the hunter, people like me, those who want to handle your own deer, lease or property. Georgia's Natural Resource Bureau, cut off the head or put the information on the card, put it in the freezer, and pick them up.

Johansson explained the State Congress on Monday morning at a hearing of the Fish and Parks Committee, a game of the State Council. The department announced last week that deer was harvested in South Georgia. Positive test The disease was first discovered in the state. She said that the DNR goal was to keep the illness of the disease less than 5 %, but unlike other states, Georgia does not plan to request a deer test. 。

“I don't expect a required check station setup,” said Johansson. “Of course, we place a self -service place there. We put out the staff on a busy weekend, help with the hunter, and explain what is happening there. We expect anything. Not -we do not propose the ban on those counties. “

Deer food is a controversy custom, and some people consider sportsman -like. Environmental protectionists say that spreading deer corn can be bad for wildlife -encouraging deer gathering in one place, a disease like CWD. It is helpful to spread it.

“Other states with CWD outbreaks have stopped feeding deer in this area,” said Sierra Club's Georgia Chair Markwoodall. “The fact that the DNR did not restrict deer bait is not a science, but seems to be politics. I don't want to offend landowners and feed factories. This is a regulation fraud. Yes, it is inconvenient.

At present, the Chronic Waste Management Area of ​​the DNR contains only Lanni -gun and Verien County, but it is expected that the disease will be expanded and will include more states.

Chronic waste is a neurological disease that affects the members of the Kanashina, including spatula and mousse. It is caused by prions, not bacteria or viruses. Prion is an abnormally folded protein that can accidentally cause other proteins in the brain. If these accumulate sufficiently, animals begin to show symptoms. This includes lethargy, lack of adjustment, and weight loss.

This disease is 100 % fatal for animals. Although it is a bad news for deer, it is not always a deer hunting, Treva Santos, Deputy Committee member of the Natural Resources Bureau, said.

“First of all, we want to guarantee that you and our hunters will continue to prosper in this state,” Santos told the Diet on Monday. “As we know, this is not the end of deer hunting. Despite this discovery that we made one week ago, our plan is all members and all hunters. This is to work with all the Georgian people and wear camouflage on a rest to maintain a healthy deer.

According to DNR, hunting in Georgia has created about $ 1.6 billion and supports over 150,000 employment. Georgia's deer hunting guns are generally from mid -October to mid -January.

“I don't intend to hear a lot of positive things from the rest of the presentation, but I want you to know that all of our deer flocks are in this state,” said Santos. Added.

Johansson said that the wrong prion could accumulate in the infected animal brain between 18-30 months, which indicates the symptoms, but can spray the illness before it looks ill. 。

“It's completely healthy until the last few weeks or months of the sick course, and it's time to see the waste to give it to the title,” she said. “At some point, they begin to drop out of these infectious prions. These are washed away by saliva, washed into urine, dropped out of feces. They are exposed to these prions.

Deer can spread the disease simply by rubbing the nose, waste and corpse can spread it to the landscape, which can remain much longer than the average virus.

“Prion, what are their life on the ground?” Said the Greens Boro Republican member of the Committee, Tray Rhodes.

“Unsuitable,” Johansson said. “As you know, protein is a components of the body, so it is difficult to destroy these prions. These infectivity is really unknown when it comes out of the landscape. We know that it is different. It's not possible to cook from the meat or put it in the freezer for a long time.

According to the Atlanta -based disease management prevention center, there are no known cases of human CWD, but CDC strongly recommends deer and spatula tests and not eat meat from positive animals.

Similar diseases, cow -shaped encephalopathy, which are also known as mad cow diseases, can lead to human diseases or death.

In addition to providing tests, DNR increases monitoring efforts. This includes cooperation with meat processors and stuffed masters to monitor the number of deer individuals. Participating processors will send a sample to the lab to the Laboratory of the Veterinary School of Georgia University. The test process usually takes about two weeks, and the hunters are notified of the results. This process does not hinder the hunter from protecting the deer horns.

Georgia probably would not completely eradicate the disease, but Johansson stated that he was in a better position because he had time to plan and learn from other states. She stated that the DNR has been monitoring CWD for about 20 years and is the 36th state that detects the disease.

“The CWD is likely to stay here unless we are very lucky, very lucky,” we found very early. “We must continue to monitor and manage adaptation, so we continue to learn from other states, we learn from ourselves, and our plan Is to move forward.