Allowing Infected Deer Into Food System Could Pose Risk to Public, Experts Say

Experts are warning about the risks associated with Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, which affects deer breeds and can lead to a potentially disastrous infection throughout the animal's population. Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s decision to allow meat from farms with disease-infected deer herds to enter the Canadian market could lead to potential risks for humans, multiple experts say.

Chronic Wasting Disease—commonly abbreviated as CWD—is a fatal infection that affects the central nervous system of cervids such as deer, moose, elk, and caribou. It’s usually found in adult animals, and is caused by misfolded proteins in their system called “prions” that can then be transmitted through bodily fluids and organic matter like soil.