Tennessee sees chronic wasting disease in deer

Tennessee officials say a ninth county has a confirmed case of chronic wasting disease in deer.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says the condition was found in Henry County in a thin 3 1/2-year-old doe that was behaving strangely.

Officials say the disease has been found in Chester, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Henry, Lauderdale, Madison, Shelby and Tipton counties, and within 10 miles of five others.

Additional regulations on carcass transport, feeding and mineral placement have been imposed in those counties.

The condition is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system in the deer family.

Though there haven’t yet been cases recorded in humans, the agency recommends people avoid eating meat from infected deer. The agency says the disease may spread through contact with contaminated body fluids, tissue or indirect contact. It may incubate for more than a year, and infected animals may slowly develop symptoms, including stumbling, listlessness, drooling and excessive thirst, among others.