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Show Nephi, Utah '3Jtmes-(Nefn- 0 Page 10 Chronic Wasting Disease found in eastern Utah Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected in (CWD) r old buck mule a deer northeast of Vernal, Utah. The diagnosis was made during an intensified surveillance effort, which was initiated this last hunting season following the discovery of the disease in Colorado, just 30 miles from the Utah border. Until this two-yea- single case, there had been no diagnosis of CWD in Utah in wild deer or elk or in private herds. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, the Division of Wildlife Resources, the USDA, and Utah Elk Breeders remain committed to preventing the introduc- tion and establishment of the disease to Utah. There is no evidence of natural transmis sion of CWD to other livestock or humans. CWD is not expected to quickly spread through the elk and deer populations in Utah, since CWD develops slowly and effects mainly animals that are genetically susceptible to the disease. This discovery is not unexpected, and comes as somewhat of a relief to the many agencies Deer from northeastern Utah tests positive for chronic wasting disease A buck deer taken by a hunter in northeastern Utah has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the Division Almost 1,400 of the deer and elk have been tested for CWD so far, with only one positive sample. of The positive sample came Wildlife Resources has anfrom a mature buck deer nounced. taken this fall on Diamond The Division of Wildlife Mountain, just north of VerResources has been looking nal. Utah State University for chronic wasting disease is conducting CWD testing in Utah since 1998, said for the DWR. Jim Karpowitz, big game Its important to rememcoordinator for the Division ber that there is currently of Wildlife Resources. When no evidence that CWD can the Colorado Division of be naturally transmitted to Wildlife discovered a CWD humans or livestock, Karpositive deer near the town powitz said. It also does not of Craig in early 2002, we appear to cause catastrophic decided to intensify our surdie offs in deer and elk popuveillance efforts, focusing on lations. A great deal of research mule deer populations along is being conducted by many the Colorado border." Nearly 1,500 brain sam- agencies and organizaples were collected from deer tions to learn more about and elk in Utah in fall 2002. this relatively new disease. Until more is known, well continue to be diligent with our surveillance and management efforts and provide the public with the most current information available, Karpowitz said. People can learn more about CWD by logging onto the DWRs Internet Web site at www.wildlife.utah.gov huntingbiggamecwd. Another excellent source of information is a national Web site ran by the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance This site (cwd-info.org- ). includes links to CWD information on other Web sites, Karpowitz said. I would encourage people to link from it to Wisconsins site, which has some excellent information about CWD. that have been testing and monitoring for the disease for some time, said State Veterinarian, Dr. Michael R. Marshall. We now know where it is, and can focus our energies on preventing it from spreading, he added. Chronic Wasting Disease is caused by an infective agent known as a protease resistant prion protein (PrP) and has been present in deer and elk in northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming since the late 1960s. The disease has more recently been detected in wild deer in Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Mexico, and the province of Saskatchewan. CWD has been detected in privately owned elk on 23 elk ranches in 7 states and several ranches in 4he province of Saskatchewan and one in Alberta. CWD damages the nerve cells of the brain and is one of a group of diseases classified as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopa Wednesday, February 26, 2003 thies (TSE), which includes have been detected by that testing. A temporary moratorium on elk importation was instituted in July 2002 in response to the more widespread distribution of Scrapie, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Disease (CJD), and others. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and the Division of Wildlife Resources, with funding support from USDA, has performed surveillance studies to check for Chronic Wasting Disease in Utah. A study in 1998-9of over 750 wild deer and elk in Utah found no positive animals. Surveil- CWD. The Utah State Veterinarian has acted to prohibit importation of any elk from herds that are known to be positive for CWD and has prevented the movement of any elk that may have had exposure to an infected 9 herd. He has requested lance was intensified this past hunting season because of the discovery of CWD in western Colorado. Approximately 1500 samples were collected this year. Results CWD Emergency Disease funding from USDA for testing of all potentially exposed elk at the request of the Utah elk breeders. The Utah State Veterinarian have been received have been received on 1400 samples with one positive. In 1998, Utah initiated a program of voluntary testing for CWD upon the death of any farmed elk. Mandatory testing for CWD was implemented in 2000 at the request of the Utah Elk Breeders. No cases of CWD in Utah captive elk identified 27 captive elk in 2000 that could have potentially been exposed to CWD prior to 1998 at a Colorado elk farm. One other animal could have been exposed in March of 2001. All 28 animals have been slaughtered and tested for CWD under a federal emergency program and found to be negative. Wildlife in need of help receive it tax checkoff through nongame the A good feeling during income tax season this year might be as close as line 23c of the 2003 Utah State Income Tax form. Utahns who write in a dollar amount on this line and give a few dollars to Utahs Nongame Wildlife Fund will be doing much to help animals, birds and fish for which people dont hunt or fish. Of $48,344 given in 2002, most went to help native fish, amphibians, reptiles and mollusks in Utah. Species that benefited included Columbia spotted frog, least chub, boreal toad, roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, sucker, pond snail, Utah milksnake Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other state and federal agencies. The Nongame Wildlife Fund program increases the overall funding available to our na- tive aquatic species program, which increases the ability our managers and biologists have to conduct conservation flan-nelmou- d and Utah mountain king-snak- activities for native fish, amphibians, reptiles, and e. Matthew Andersen, native aquatic species coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says the nongame tax checkoff money given in 2002 provided his personnel with funding they needed to mollusks. Though not as visible as field work or other conservation activities, securing these funds is critical for the field work and other activities con- ducted by the native aquatic write proposals and grants that allowed the DWR to obtain additional state and species program. Without the additional funds the nongame tax checkoff funds help us obtain, many of these activities couldnt be funded and conducted. Additional examples of work that took place in 2002 were a statistical study of the federal funds. The tax checkoff funds are seed sources that grow additional conservation program funds, In other he said. words, each dollar supplied by the Nongame Wildlife relationship between native fish distributions and habitat parameters, and expansion of the DWRs native aquatic species database. Fund program produces many more dollars by allowing us to solicit funds from the Utah Department of Natural Exercise, nutrition, diet and detoxification as the sure-fir- e way to beat bone degeneration and arthritis halt and reverse bone and Osteoporosis, a condition characterized by bone loss that leads to weak and porous bones, is a major health risk cartilage degeneration in as little as seven days. In order to work this miracle, body pi I must be elevated in the blood, this literally forces weak bones, joints, and cartilage for over 44 million Americans over the age of 50. But recent studies show that the middle-aged and elderly arent the IDshtd (SaflB aft dl a OH Todlasf W Ikiirodls if to mend themselves. It is recommended that a lifestyle that includes regular weight-bearinexercise, and alcohol and tobacco avoiding is also beneficial. Both can damage bone, and alcohol, can increase the risk of fracture. Of course, the first step is determining whether bone loss has occurred. Loss of height or a bone that breaks only ones suffering from debilitating bone degeneration. Due to poor dietary habits, g such as substituting milk and water for soda pop, and consuming large quantities of highly acidic foods like meat and sweets, teenagers are beginning to develop osteoporosis at an alarming rate. Many people who have osteoporosis remain oblivieasily are both indicators. do not show ous to their condition until Ordinary their bones become so thin bone loss unless it is extreme. and weak that they suffer a Those who are worried about break. Osteoporosis is responosteoporosis should ask their sible for over 1.5 million doctor for a DEXA-sca(dual energy absorptiometry). frac- n tures per year and kills more women annually than breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer combined. Though women have a 400 greater chance pdiMDirD imaiioDtiD-ijsai- rti y DEXA-scacan determine risk of fracture. A of developing osteoporosis, no one, not even teenagers and young adults, is exempt. S(L& osteoporosis is also a precursor to the most common form ftp If that werent enough, feoasDiraess airdls of Osteoarthritis occurs when joints and cartilage begin to wear out and disintegrate arthritis-osteoarthriti- fteiDy causing debilitating pain and swelling. Osteoarthritis affects over 34 million Americans. Both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are caused by ti The extreme deficiencies of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and boron. 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