The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is collecting more information and assessing possible actions after chronic wasting disease was recently confirmed in deer across the Ohio River from Henderson and Union counties in southwest Indiana.
According to state Fish and Wildlife officials, chronic wasting disease is caused by abnormal proteins that impact white-tailed deer, elk, and other members of the deer family. There is currently no known cure or vaccine, and the disease is always fatal in infected animals.
Officials reported that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources announced on Friday that a 2.5-year-old male deer, harvested by a hunter in Posey County, Indiana, tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Posey County is situated across the Ohio River from Henderson and Union counties. Multiple tests have reportedly confirmed the presence of the disease in the deer.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials said they are in communication with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and will consult Kentucky’s Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan following this recent out-of-state detection.
While not known to be transmissible to people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against consuming meat from deer that test positive for the disease. Similarly, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife recommends avoiding meat from animals that appear sick or are in poor condition.
To date, state Fish and Wildlife officials have reported that chronic wasting disease has been detected in Kentucky on two occasions. The first instance was in a wild deer in Ballard County in November 2023, and more recently, in October, it was found in a captive deer at a permitted facility in Breckinridge County.
Since 2002, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has tested over 60,000 deer and elk from every county in the state, with the majority of samples provided by hunters. In addition to the fall hunting season, the department also collects and tests samples reported or discovered deer throughout the year.
Deer that appear sick without any obvious injuries can be reported using the department’s online reporting form. The wildlife health program staff will review these reports and reach out to the person who submitted the information if additional details are required.
