Timeline

CWD was first identified

January 12, 1967

CWD was first identified as a clinical disease in captive mule deer at the Colorado Division of Wildlife Foothills Wildlife Research Facility in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Classified as a TSE

February 4, 1978

CWD was officially classified as a Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE). TSE’s include scrapie in sheep and goats, Mad Cow disease in cattle, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.

First recognized in captive mule & black-tailed deer

June 6, 1979

CWD was first recognized in captive mule deer and black-tailed deer at the Wyoming Fish and Game Department’s Sybille wildlife research facility. CWD was diagnosed in captive elk for the first time.

The first diagnosis of CWD in Canada

January 1, 1981

The first diagnosis of CWD in Canada was in 1981 in mule deer at the Toronto Zoo.

First documented case of CWD in a wild cervid

September 9, 1981

The Colorado Division of Wildlife identified CWD in a wild elk, marking the first documented case of CWD in a wild cervid.

First confirmed case of CWD in a wild mule deer

February 4, 1985

The Colorado Division of Wildlife confirmed the presence of CWD in a wild mule deer for the first time. The Colorado Division of Wildlife attempted to eliminate CWD from the Fort Collins Foothills Wildlife Research Facility by treating the soil with chlorine, removing the treated soil, and applying an additional…

First CWD case outside “endemic zone”

February 4, 1996

CWD was found for the first time outside of the Colorado/Wyoming CWD “endemic zone” in a captive elk farm in Saskatchewan.

First CWD case outside “endemic zone”

July 10, 1996

CWD was found for the first time outside of the Colorado/Wyoming CWD “endemic zone” in a captive elk farm in Saskatchewan.

First documented cases of CWD in South Dakota

February 20, 1997

CWD is identified on several captive elk facilities in South Dakota, marking the first documented cases of CWD in the state.

Infected Elk Found in Philipsburg

April 15, 1998

June 1998 and again in June 1999, elk shipped to Oklahoma from an alternative livestock facility near Philipsburg were confirmed to have CWD.

First Documented Case in Nebraska

July 15, 1999

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission discovered CWD in a wild mule deer, the state’s first documented case of the disease. CWD is detected in a captive elk facility in Oklahoma, marking the first time the disease was found in the state. In November and December 1999, all 83 elk…

First Case in Saskatchewan

December 15, 2000

CWD was found in a Saskatchewan mule deer, marking the first time the disease was found in the province’s wild cervids.

First case in South Korea

December 28, 2000

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been recognized as an important prion disease in native North American deer and Rocky Mountain elk. The disease is a unique member of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), which naturally affects only a few species. CWD had been limited to USA and Canada until 2000….

First Cases in Nebraska and South Dakota

February 4, 2001

South Dakota discovered CWD in wild white-tailed deer for the first time. Nebraska discovered CWD in a captive white-tailed deer facility for the first time

First Documented Case in Wisconsin

February 4, 2002

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources detected CWD in wild white-tailed deer, the state’s first documented case of CWD.

First Case in New Mexico

June 19, 2002

SANTA FE, N.M. – A mule deer collected from the White Sands Missile Range has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease and the director of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish declared an Animal Health Emergency Tuesday, closing the state to any importation of deer or elk. Director…

The 1st International CWD Symposium was held in Denver, Colorado.

August 6, 2002

The Colorado Division of Wildlife helped host the Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium on August 6-7, 2002 in Denver. Nearly 500 people attended to hear a variety of presentations on all aspects of CWD. Read more.

First Case in Minnesota

August 30, 2002

Chronic Wasting Disease found in a farmed elk from Aitkin County. Case marks the first time this disease has been detected in Minnesota ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Board of Animal Health today announced that a single animal from an Aitkin County domestic elk herd has tested positive for…

Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Portage County

September 20, 2002

A white-tailed buck shot on a game farm in Portage County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first time the fatal brain disorder has been found in Wisconsin outside the original outbreak area southwest of Madison. Read more.

Saskatchewan detected CWD in a mule deer outside of the province’s previously delineated CWD containment area

October 31, 2002

Saskatchewan has its fourth confirmed case of chronic wasting disease in the wild deer population, but this one is different from the previous three. “It showed up in an area outside of what we thought was the containment area,” said Kevin Callele, manager of resource allocation with Saskatchewan Environment’s fish…

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources discovered CWD in a wild white-tailed deer, the state’s first documented case of CWD.

November 1, 2002

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in a sample from a wild deer near Roscoe in Winnebago County, the Department of Natural Resources announced today. CWD is not known to be contagious to livestock or humans. Read more.

First case of CWD in Alberta

November 6, 2002

EDMONTON (CP) – The first case of chronic wasting disease at a whitetail deer farm in Canada has been confirmed near Edmonton, the Canadian Cervid Council said Wednesday. Two whitetail deer farms have been quarantined and a two-week moratorium on the movement of farmed whitetail deer and mule deer has…

First Case in Wyoming

November 18, 2002

A deer harvested in Deer Hunt Area 78, on the western slope of the Snowy Range, south of Saratoga and one harvested in Deer Hunt Area 82 on the western slope of the Sierra Madres tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Read more.

First Case in South Dakota

November 19, 2002

HOT SPRINGS — Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in an elk in Wind Cave National Park, superintendent Linda L. Stoll announced Monday. Park staff recently discovered a 5-year-old elk exhibiting symptoms of the contagious brain disease. The elk was killed and brain tissue samples were analyzed at the…

First Case in Utah

February 18, 2003

Salt Lake City — A buck deer taken by a hunter in northeastern Utah has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the Division of Wildlife Resources has announced. Read more.

A dot blot ELISA test for CWD, developed by VMRD, Inc., was licensed for CWD testing.

March 7, 2003

A dot blot ELISA test for CWD, developed by VMRD, Inc., has been licensed for CWD testing. The test uses the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and has a turnaround time of approximately 24 hours. Cost for a test kit that will run approximately 960 samples is $4,300. However, the sensitivity of…

United States Department of Agriculture licensed a CWD dot plot (ELISA) test developed by VMRD, Inc.

March 7, 2003

A dot blot ELISA test for CWD, developed by VMRD, Inc., has been licensed for CWD testing. The test uses the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and has a turnaround time of approximately 24 hours. Cost for a test kit that will run approximately 960 samples is $4,300. However, the sensitivity of…

U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) introduced a comprehensive bi-partisan bill targeted at coordinating and increasing federal response to CWD management.

May 9, 2003

ALLARD INTRODUCES CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE BILL LEGISLATION COORDINATES RESPONSE, INCREASES FUNDING Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) on Friday introduced a comprehensive bi-partisan Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) bill that coordinates and increases the federal response to the disease, which has impacted Colorado and nine other states, as well…

Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced two bills created to assist states in combating the spread of CWD

June 12, 2003

the National Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force Establishment Act and the Chronic Wasting Disease Research, Monitoring, and Education Enhancement Act. Read more.

The United States Department of Agriculture approved a second-generation CWD test

July 15, 2003

developed by Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Read more.

Congress approved a bill that includes $4.2 million to expand research on CWD in wild deer and elk populations.

November 4, 2003

Congress gave final approval Monday to a bill that includes $4.2 million to expand research on chronic wasting disease on wild deer and elk populations. Read more.

Tommy Thompson announced creation of a federal interagency working group

September 24, 2004

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced creation of a federal interagency working group to identify gaps in scientific knowledge about abnormal prion proteins and promote coordination of prion research projects by federal agencies. Read more.

CWD was set as a national priority

October 28, 2004

CWD was set as a national priority for piloting a Wildlife Disease Action Plan by the Canadian Councils of Resource Ministers. Read more.

Strange case found in Nebraska

December 10, 2004

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission confirmed a case of CWD in a white-tailed deer near the town of Grand Island. This is approximately 250 miles east of the Panhandle where all previous cases of CWD had been documented. Read more.

Case of Interest in Colorado

January 28, 2005

The Colorado Division of Wildlife identified a case of CWD in a mule deer south of Colorado Springs. This is the farthest south on the Front Range that CWD has been detected.

First Case in New York

March 31, 2005

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets confirmed the presence of CWD in a captive white-tailed deer, marking the state’s first documented case of CWD. Read more

First Wild Case in New York

April 27, 2005

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation discovered CWD in a wild white-tailed deer from Oneida County. This documented the first case of CWD found in the state’s wild deer populations.

The 2nd International CWD Symposium was held in Madison, Wisconsin.

July 12, 2005

2nd International CWD SymposiumJuly 12-14, 2005 Monona Terrace Convention Center Madison, WisconsinSponsors:Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources USGS National Wildlife Health Center USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services US Fish & Wildlife Service CWD Alliance Sessions:Biology of Prions TSE Diagnostics Environmental Contamination, Disposal & Disinfection Management and Control of CWD Regulatory…

First Case in West Virginia

September 2, 2005

The first documented case of CWD in West Virginia is identified in a wild white-tailed deer.

First Case in Colorado found in a Moose

September 29, 2005

The Colorado Division of Wildlife confirmed the first documented case of CWD in a wild moose.

First Case in New Mexico’s Wild Elk

December 9, 2005

The New Mexico Department of Fish and Game discovered CWD in two wild elk from the Sacramento Mountains, documenting the first cases of CWD found in the state’s wild elk populations.

First Case in Kansas

January 24, 2006

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks discovered CWD in a white-tailed deer from Cheyenne County. This is the first time CWD was found in the state.

Discovery: CWD prions are present in the leg muscles of infected deer.

January 27, 2006

Researchers at the University of Kentucky found that CWD prions are present in the leg muscles of infected deer.

First Case in Minnesota

March 15, 2006

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed that a captive white-tailed deer from Lac Qui Parle County tested positive for CWD. This is the state’s first case of CWD in captive white-tailed deer.

Discovery: infectious prions adhere to specific soil minerals where they remain infective.

April 14, 2006

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers discovered that infectious prions adhere to specific soil minerals where they remain infective.

Strange Case in New Mexico

July 7, 2006

The New Mexico Game and Fish Department identified CWD in a mule deer on the Stallion site of White Sands Missile Range, 75 miles further north of the state’s northernmost infection area.

Discovery: infectious prions are capable of transmitting CWD through saliva and blood.

October 6, 2006

Colorado State University researchers found that infectious prions are capable of transmitting CWD through saliva and blood.

First Case in Alberta

April 5, 2007

The first white-tailed deer to test positive for CWD in Alberta was identified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

E-Book Published

April 5, 2007

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources published an e-book addressing various modeling approaches to describe the spatial epidemiology of CWD.

Discovery: the infectivity of prions significantly increases when they are bound to certain soil minerals.

June 13, 2007

Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison revealed that the infectivity of prions significantly increases when they are bound to certain soil minerals.

First Case in Saskatchewan

July 6, 2007

The first cases of CWD in Saskatchewan’s wild elk population are found in the province’s east-central region.

New pre-mortem CWD test for elk Developed

May 15, 2008

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Colorado State University developed a new pre-mortem CWD test for elk.

First Case in Michigan

June 2, 2008

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources detected CWD in a captive white-tailed deer from Kent County. This is state’s first documented case of CWD.

First infected moose found outside of Colorado

August 25, 2008

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department discovered CWD in a wild moose. This is the first time a moose infected with CWD is found outside of Colorado.

Infected meat found at a farmers market

October 17, 2008

Elk meat sold at a Longmont, Colorado farmers market was found to come from a captive elk infected with CWD.

Discovery

December 25, 2008

Researchers found that prions are shed in the feces of early-stage CWD-infected deer.

Grant Given to CWD Researchers

September 9, 2009

Colorado State University researchers were granted $2.5 million from the National Science Foundation to study transmission of CWD.

First Case in Virginia

January 20, 2010

The first documented case of CWD in Virginia is identified in a wild white-tailed deer.

First Case in Missouri

February 25, 2010

The Missouri Department of Agriculture discovers the state’s first case of CWD in a captive white-tailed deer.

First Case in North Dakota

March 17, 2010

The first documented case of CWD in North Dakota is identified in a wild mule deer.

First Wild Case in Minnesota

January 26, 2011

Minnesota’s first documented case of CWD in a wild cervid is identified in a white-tailed deer.

First Case in Maryland

February 10, 2011

The first documented case of CWD in Maryland is identified in a wild white-tailed deer.

First Free Range Case in Missouri

January 24, 2012

The first cases of CWD in Missouri’s free-ranging cervids are found in two white-tailed deer.

First Case in Texas

July 10, 2012

CWD detected in far west Texas

First Case in Pennsylvania

October 11, 2012

First case of CWD found in captive Pennsylvania deer.

First Case in Iowa

April 9, 2014

Chronic wasting disease detected for first time in wild Iowa deer.

First Free Ranging Case in Michigan

May 26, 2015

Michigan confirms state’s first case of chronic wasting disease in free-ranging white-tailed deer.

First Case of CWD found in Arkansas

October 15, 2015

An elk harvested near Pruitt on the Buffalo National River during the October 2015 hunting season tested positive for chronic wasting disease, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. This is the first time an animal in Arkansas has tested positive for the disease, which is fatal to elk…

First case of CWD in Norway

March 1, 2016

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was diagnosed in March 2016 in a wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) from the Nordfjella mountain area in Norway. This was the first documented case of CWD in Europe.

First Case in Montana

November 15, 2017

A second test on a tissue sample from a buck harvested in hunting district 510, south of Billings, has come back positive for chronic wasting disease. This buck was harvested Oct. 22 about 10 miles southeast of Bridger. Initial testing received by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks last week showed…

Chronic Wasting Disease Confirmed in a Mississippi White-tailed Deer

February 9, 2018

First time an animal in Mississippi tested positive for CWD. A white-tailed deer collected on January 25, 2018, in Issaquena County, Mississippi. Read more

First case in Finland of CWD for Moose

March 8, 2018

The chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in a moose or European elk (Alces alces) for the first time ever in Finland.

IL – First known case of a reindeer being confirmed positive in North America

June 8, 2018

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been identified in one reindeer in a captive herd in northern Illinois. he affected reindeer was sampled on April 23 during a necropsy after the animal died unexpectedly. Tissues for CWD testing were submitted to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for analysis and the diagnosis…

First case of chronic debilitating disease (CWD) of cervids in Quebec

September 10, 2018

Québec, September 14, 2018 – On September 10, a case of chronic debilitating disease (CWD) of cervids was confirmed in the Laurentides region. This is the first case in Quebec.

TN – First CWD cases in white-tailed deer in Hardeman and Fayette counties

December 14, 2018

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is enacting the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Response plan, following a preliminary positive detection of CWD in white-tailed deer in Hardeman and Fayette counties. The response plan involves a coordinated effort between TWRA, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, and other partners. Seven deer…

MANITOBA – First CWD detected

October 14, 2021

a male mule deer was observed to be unhealthy and was euthanized in western Manitoba, near Lake of the Prairies. Subsequent testing found the animal to have chronic wasting disease (CWD). Read more…

ID – Chronic Wasting Disease detected in two Idaho mule deer

November 17, 2021

These are the first confirmed positive tests for Chronic Wasting Disease in Idaho Two mule deer bucks harvested during October in the Slate Creek drainage near Lucile in Idaho County tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease, according to Idaho Fish and Game. Under Fish and Game’s CWD strategic plan, both…

AL – Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Lauderdale County, Alabama

January 7, 2022

A sample recently collected from a hunter harvested, white-tailed deer in west-central Lauderdale County has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). This is the first case of CWD detected in Alabama’s deer herd. “CWD was first detected in Tennessee and Mississippi in 2018 and has been moving slowly…

FL – First case of CWD in state

June 15, 2023

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirms first CWD case in Holmes County

IN – First case of CWD in state

April 5, 2024

In April 2024, chronic wasting disease (CWD) was detected in an Indiana deer for the first time. The deer was a hunter-harvested white-tailed deer taken during deer season in LaGrange County.

CA – First case of CWD in State

May 7, 2024

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) received confirmation on May 6 samples collected from two deer, one in Madera County near Yosemite Lakes and the other in Inyo County, near Bishop.