News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has confirmed Indiana’s first positive case of chronic wasting disease in LaGrange County, according to a news release issued Friday, April 5. Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, resulting in their eventual death.

This positive case is adjacent to a region where chronic wasting disease had previously been detected in Michigan. The disease has been detected in wild deer in 33 states, including all states bordering Indiana.

“CWD has been in our region for many years with positive cases in all of our surrounding states,” said Joe Caudell, Indiana DNR deer biologist. “The public can help by reporting sightings of sick or dead deer to the DNR, as well as submitting harvested deer for testing during deer hunting season. Through increased awareness and testing, we can work to monitor CWD within Indiana’s deer population.”

Because chronic wasting disease had previously been detected in Michigan near the Indiana border, finding it in this area of Indiana was highly likely, Caudell said, and DNR will continue monitoring the area for the disease.

There have been no reported cases of chronic wasting disease infection in humans.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters strongly consider having their harvested deer tested before eating the meat. The CDC also recommends not eating meat from an animal that tests positive for chronic wasting disease. For more information about the CDC’s recommendations, visit cdc.gov/prions/cwd.

The Indiana white-tailed deer was a male harvested by a hunter and confirmed positive for chronic wasting disease by two independent tests. The disease is caused by a misfolded prion that causes damage to the animal’s nervous system. The disease can spread from deer-to-deer contact or through contaminated environments and remains in the soil for many years. Animals in the late stages of chronic wasting disease can appear emaciated, show erratic behavior and exhibit neurological irregularities. If you see any sick or dead wildlife, report it at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.

Indiana’s various deer hunting seasons run from mid-September until the end of January.

During hunting season, to have their harvested deer tested for chronic wasting disease, hunters can drop off its head in a freezer outside a Fish & Wildlife Area or State Fish Hatchery office or schedule appointments to bring their harvested deer to these sites to be tested. All chronic wasting disease sampling locations can be viewed through an interactive map. Alternatively, people may submit samples directly to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University for a fee. More information and submission forms are available on the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory website.

Find more information about chronic wasting disease at on.IN.gov/CWD.