Risk Behaviors Related to Chronic Wasting Disease in a Rural Community
Author Information
Author(s): Ralph M Garruto, Chris Reiber, Marta P Alfonso, Heidi Gastrich, Kelsey Needham, Sarah Sunderman, Sarah Walker, Jennifer Weeks, Nicholas DeRosa, Eric Faisst, John Dunn, Kenneth Fanelli, Kenneth Shilkret
Primary Institution: State University of New York at Binghamton
Hypothesis
What are the potential human health risks associated with exposure to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a rural community?
Conclusion
The study provides a relative scale for cumulative exposure to CWD-infected tissues, indicating that those with higher cumulative risk may be most at risk if CWD is transmissible to humans.
Supporting Evidence
- The study involved 81 participants who were exposed to a CWD-positive deer.
- Participants were followed for health evaluations over six years.
- The majority of participants reported eating venison at the feast.
Takeaway
This study looked at people who ate deer meat at a feast where one deer had a disease called Chronic Wasting Disease, to see if it could make them sick.
Methodology
Participants completed an exposure questionnaire and agreed to follow-up health evaluations over six years.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-reporting of health and exposure behaviors.
Limitations
The study relies on self-reported data and may not capture all risk factors accurately.
Participant Demographics
The sample consisted of 86.4% males and 13.6% females, primarily white, with ages ranging from 10 to 82 years and a mean age of 48.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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