Revision History for U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019-1109

Chronic Wasting Disease—Research by the U.S. Geological Survey and Partners

By M. Camille Hopkins, Christina M. Carlson, Paul C. Cross, 
Christopher J. Johnson, Bryan J. Richards, Robin E. Russell, 
Michael D. Samuel, Glen A. Sargeant, Daniel P. Walsh, and W. David Walter

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First posted online October 23, 2019

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Revised, then reposted on November 20, 2019, as version 2.0. 

Revisions and changes incorporated into version 2.0 are described below:


(1) The last five paragraphs on page 2 were revised with the following text 
to more closely match the quoted source:

     U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research on CWD aligns with two research goals and 
an action item in the interagency North American Plan (Chronic Wasting Disease Task 
Force, 2002, p. [9]) as quoted below:

     Goal 1—Rapid Diagnostics: There is an urgent need for research to establish rapid 
     diagnostic techniques in live animals, carcasses, and environmental samples.

     Goal 3—Management and Ecology of the Disease and the Host: There is a need to 
     understand the interactions between host species ecology and CWD dynamics, and 
     the implication of these interactions for disease management.

     Action item 3—Conduct research into disease management and host ecology. Prioritized 
     needs include: 1) developing and enhancing models of CWD dynamics; . . . .


The last five paragraphs on page 2 were revised from: 

     The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) supports several of the research goals and action items 
in the interagency North American Plan (Chronic Wasting Disease [CWD] National Plan Task 
Force, 2002). Specifically, these goals and action items include the following:

   Research Goal 1—Rapid Diagnostics: There is an urgent need for research to establish rapid 
   diagnostic techniques in live animals, carcasses, and environmental samples.

   Research Goal 3—Management and Ecology of the Disease and the Host: There is a need to 
   understand the interactions between host species ecology and CWD dynamics, and the 
   implication of these interactions for disease management.

   Disease Management Action Item 1—Disease Prevention: Entities without CWD should plan to 
   prevent its introduction through movement restrictions, restrictions on baiting and feeding, 
   risk assessments, population management, and information dissemination. Surveillance to 
   allow early detection of the disease is essential in preventing inadvertent human-assisted 
   or natural movement of affected animals.

   Research Action Item 3—Conduct research into disease management and host ecology: Prioritized 
   needs include (1) developing and enhancing models of CWD dynamics; (2) evaluating host 
   population dynamics and dispersal and social behavior in relation to transmission; 
   (3) developing a geographic information system (GIS) that can elucidate patterns of 
   disease (host population characteristics); (4) evaluating the effectiveness of CWD control 
   or eradication strategies; (5) studying the ecological effects of reducing deer and elk 
   populations in CWD affected areas; (6) determining persistence of the CWD agent in the 
   environment; (7) developing methods to inactivate the CWD-agent in the laboratory and in 
   the field; (8) correlating disease prevalence to cervid density; and (9) conducting 
   research on methods of carcass disposal.


(2) Page 28, the first reference in References Cited was revised from:
 
Chronic Wasting Disease [CWD] National Plan Task Force, 2002, Plan for 
assisting States, Federal agencies, and Tribes in managing chronic wasting 
disease in wild and captive cervids: U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife 
Health Center report, 17 p., accessed at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications
/fact_sheets/pdfs/cwd/cwd62602.pdf.

Revised to:
[Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force], 2002, Plan for assisting States, Federal 
Agencies, and Tribes in managing chronic wasting disease in wild and captive 
cervids: [white paper hosted by the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance], 20 p., 
accessed October 31, 2019, at http://cwd-info.org/implementation-document-for-
national-cwd-plan-available/.