A Rocky Mountain Lab Study 13 years in the making has not found evidence that Chronic Wasting Disease can be passed to animals closely related to humans, Montana Untamed reports.
The study used macaque monkeys which are genetically similar to humans. Researchers told Montana Untamed that it is important to note the tests were not done with human subjects so the results are not definitive for possible human transmission.
The first cases of documented chronic wasting disease in Montana deer occurred during the 2017 hunting season. Since then the state has ramped up efforts to prevent the proliferation of the deadly disease. There has not been definitive evidence of the spread of CWD to humans.
Throughout the 13 year RML study, the macaques were exposed to brain batter from CWD infected deer. The monkeys were either exposed through injects directly into their brains or through feeding tubes.
The Montana Untamed article noted that a previous study performed jointly by Canadian and German researchers reported transmission was possible to macaques. Those results have yet to be published in a peer reviewed journal.
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