Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources on Thursday confirmed the first documented case of chronic wasting disease in the Commonwealth.
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and other species in the deer family.
The infection was found in a male white-tailed deer harvested by a hunter in Ballard County in November.
Tests by Murray State University’s Breathitt Veterinary Center and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the deer was infected with the abnormal proteins that cause CWD.
While there is no conclusive evidence saying that CWD can be transmitted to people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendsrefraining from eating meat from animals that test positive for the disease.
CWD cases have previously been detected in 31 states, including Tennessee.
