Mark Zabel, an immunologist at Colorado State University, thinks because CWD is still a newly discovered condition, it may evolve rapidly. “It’s only a matter of time before a CWD prion emerges that can do the same thing and infect a human,” he said.
Dr. Mark Zabel of Colorado State University and his team have found that the prions involved in the "zombie disease," which scientists have only known about for 50 years, are probably still evolving, "which leads us to believe it's only a matter of time before a prion emerges that can spread to humans," Zabel concluded.
“Macaques are susceptible to human prions, and that’s why they’re a good model for a species barrier jump,” Mark Zabel of Colorado State University’s Prion Research Center told Newsweek.
Mule deer submission had more than tripled near the end of 2017, according to data provided by CPW senior wildlife veterinarian and CSU alumnus, Michael Miller, above. The success allowed the state to publish more precise maps on CWD prevalence. Research by Mark Zabel, the associate director of the Prion Research Center at Colorado State University, has found the agents behind the “zombie disease” are highly susceptible to change and are likely still evolving.
“Prions are distorted versions of normal proteins found in human and animal brain and other tissues,” explains Colorado State University’s Prion Research Center.
CSU wildlife disease experts are investigating whether a test developed to detect early-stage chronic wasting disease in deer might be used to identify the onset of brain disorders in people.
A new Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program aims to help young researchers find the scientific love of their lives.