title: Prevalence of chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis in free-ranging deer and elk in South Dakota.
abstract: Heads of hunter-harvested deer and elk were collected throughout South Dakota (USA) and within established chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance areas from 1997-2002 to determine infection with CWD and bovine tuberculosis (TB). We used immunohistochemistry to detect CWD-infected individuals among 1,672 deer and elk sampled via geographically targeted surveillance. A total of 537 elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), 813 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and 322 mule deer (O. hemionus) was sampled for CWD. Estimated overall prevalence and associated confidence intervals (95%) in white-tailed deer was 0.001% (0-0.007%). Similarly, estimated overall prevalence in elk and mule deer was 0.0% (0-0.004%) and 0.0% (0-0.011%), respectively. A total of 401 elk, 1,638 white-tailed deer, and 207 mule deer was sampled for TB. Estimated overall prevalence of infection with TB in elk harvested in South Dakota was 0.0% (0-0.009%). Similarly, estimated overall prevalence of TB in white-tailed deer and mule deer harvested throughout South Dakota was 0.0% (0-0.002%) and 0.0% (0-0.018%), respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota 57007, USA. jacques_chris@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Christopher N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jenks
authors.forename: Allen L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Jenny
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003670:Deer; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis; D015995:Prevalence; D013023:South Dakota / Q000453:epidemiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D034081:Wasting Disease, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology