The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced a CWD-positive deer has been detected in Carbon County.

The deer, an adult male, was detected in Packer Township, Carbon County. This detection is the first in Carbon County and is more than 10 miles from any other confirmed CWD-positive deer. The deer was found dead by a landowner and was severely emaciated.

An always-fatal neurological disease caused by a misfolded protein called a prion, CWD is a threat to deer and elk. It’s classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy and is similar to scrapie in sheep, mad cow disease in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.

CWD spreads through direct animal-to-animal contact, as well as indirectly through prion-contaminated environments. CWD-infected deer shed prions through saliva, urine and feces, and infected carcasses contribute to environmental contamination. Once in soil, CWD prions remain infectious for decades. Therefore, feeding deer is strongly discouraged and is illegal within existing DMAs.

There is no evidence of CWD infecting humans or other species under natural conditions. However, much is still unknown about CWD, therefore the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends not eating the meat of a CWD-positive deer.

The game commission will host an informational meeting to answer any questions from the public. It is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 27, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Penn State Hazleton, Graham Building Room 115, Parking Lot F. Penn State Hazleton Campus address is 76 University Drive, Hazleton PA 18202. Contact the Game Commission’s CWD Hotline at 1-833-INFOCWD, email INFOCWD@pa.gov or visit www.arcg.is/1G4TLr for more information.