DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state Department of Natural Resources has confirmed Iowa's first case of chronic wasting disease in a wild deer.
The DNR says in a news release Wednesday the disease was found in a sample from a deer killed in early December in Allamakee County.
DNR Director Chuck Gipp says the agency now will increase monitoring in the area where the deer was killed.
Chronic Wasting Disease primarily infects deer and elk. It attacks the brains of infected animals, causing them to lose weight, act abnormally and lose bodily functions.
There is no evidence humans can contract the disease by eating venison, but health experts recommend people not eat parts of deer, including brains and spinal cords.
The disease already has been found in all states bordering Iowa.
