Chronic wasting disease: a cervid prion infection looming to spillover

The spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) during the last six decades has resulted in cervid populations of North America where CWD has become enzootic. This insidious disease has also been reported in wild and captive cervids from other continents, threatening ecosystems, livestock and public health. These CWD hot zones are particularly complex given the interplay between cervid PRNP genetics, the infection biology, the strain diversity of infectious prions and the long-term environmental persistence of infectivity, which hinder eradication efforts. Here, we review different aspects of CWD including transmission mechanisms, pathogenesis, epidemiology and assessment of interspecies infection. Further understanding of these aspects could help identify control points that could help reduce exposure for humans and livestock and decrease CWD spread between cervids.

Automated summary

The spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) has affected cervid populations in North America over the past six decades, and poses a threat to wild and captive cervids on other continents as well. The complexity of CWD hot zones, influenced by cervid PRNP genetics, infection biology, prion strain diversity, and environmental persistence, hinders efforts to eradicate the disease. Studying various aspects of CWD transmission, pathogenesis, epidemiology, and interspecies infection assessment could help identify control points to reduce exposure for humans and livestock, and limit CWD transmission among cervids.