CWD risk to human health greater than previously understood.

Among others reasons why Canada must urgently move forward securing universal and authoritative livestock animal traceability, the increased prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) among deer has been raised as a theoretical risk due to increased exposure of cattle to variants of the prion causing CWD.

Research findings from the University of Calgary establish this is not a theoretical risk; it is a proven one.

From “Limited transmission of cervid prions to nonhuman primates provides insights into the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease”:

One interpretation of these findings is that CWD prions retain infectivity across species and that primate infection may manifest atypically while still enabling transmission. Our results challenge earlier conclusions that minimize the zoonotic risk of CWD and underscore the need for continued surveillance.

The research proves a mechanism for emergence in Alberta of a BSE scale risk to human health from exposure of cattle to shed CWD prions. Since elimination of the source is impossible, over long enough a time frame this emergence is inevitable.

So in addition to:

• A variant of Foot and Mouth Disease escaping Africa and now out of control in Russia and China.
• Cattle to human transmission of H5N1 having occurred, and Canada’s first mammalian death from H5N1.
• New World Screwworm returning to the US and while not a threat in Alberta NWS is a viable threat in the lower mainland and Ontario peninsula.
• Threat of Bovine tuberculosis continuing.

We must add inevitable and repeated animal health incidents presenting risk to human health caused by increasing exposure of cattle to CWD prion variants.

The Canadian BSE crises was traced to a specific practice, elimination of which secured proof risk to human health had been eliminated.

Deer are endemic to Alberta. It is impossible to vaccinate for prion initiated disease. The only mitigation is rapid acquisition of irrefutable proof that the diseased animal, its products, and animals exposed to the prion have been identified, located, and resolved. Proof Canada currently could not secure.

The Canadian Cattle Association task force on traceability is working to a 20 month time frame. This is unacceptable. While the fundamental philosophy of the task force is sound; industry leadership securing and sustaining traceability, the task force:

• Assumes a mandate in conflict with that of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency, also an industry led organization.
• Should have begun its work in March 2023 when the draft regulations were published in CG1, not three years later.
• Proposes to deliver its recommendation late 2028 which, even if issues of mandate and authority were resolved, would make implementation by 2031 challenging.

Flokk Systems offers the necessary producer solution and strategy to resolve this critical deficiency, and risk to Canada’s beef industry, next year, not next decade.