Study: Hunters die after consuming chronic wasting disease-infected venison

That link no longer points to an article, possibly because of...

Viral Articles Claim Two ‘Hunters Died After Consuming CWD-Infected Venison.’ Here’s What Really Happened

The hunting community is experiencing whiplash after several articles appeared on mainstream news sites this week announcing that two hunters have died after eating venison from deer with chronic wasting disease. Wildlife experts say there is no evidence to support these claims.

Viral news website The Daily Mail published a story on Thursday titled “Two hunters ‘become first Americans to die from ZOMBIE DEER disease’ after eating infected venison.” The coverage is based on a research abstract published in Neurology on April 9 titled “Two Hunters from the Same Lodge Afflicted with Sporadic CJD: Is Chronic Wasting Disease to Blame?” The Mail story also appears to draw on the article “Study: Hunters Die After Consuming CWD-Infected Venison” published by Field & Stream Wednesday. (The F&S article has since been removed and replaced with more skeptical coverage of the Neurology abstract; a syndicated version of the original story remained on Yahoo! News at press time.) Now false reports of CWD infecting humans are spreading concerns and misinformation on hunting forums and social media.

Outdoor Life – Katie Hill – 18th April 2024