LSU Diagnostics collaborates with state partners to detect Chronic Wasting Disease in deer

Since 2019, LSU Diagnostics has worked in close partnership with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheriesto provide surveillance testing for Chronic Wasting Disease in the state’s deer population. That collaboration led to a significant milestone in 2022 when CWD was detected for the first time in deer along the Mississippi and Louisiana border.

Over the past seven years, LSU Diagnostics has conducted more than 15,000 CWD tests, including 3,278 during the 2025 to 2026 deer hunting season alone. Since the initial detection, confirmed cases in Louisiana’s wild deer population have risen to 49. In addition to supporting Wildlife and Fisheries, the laboratory also provides testing services for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and offers diagnostic testing for other interested parties within Louisiana and beyond.

Recent federal funding has significantly expanded the laboratory’s testing capacity. Support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has allowed LSU Diagnostics to upgrade its CWD testing system, more than tripling its surveillance efficiency across the state. The investment reflects growing national concern about the spread of the disease and the importance of early detection.

Additional research support has come through the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Funding from USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has enabled ongoing work to improve CWD diagnostic methods and enhance early detection strategies, strengthening Louisiana’s overall response capacity.

Chronic Wasting Disease is an infectious and degenerative prion disease affecting cervids, including white-tailed deer. Infected animals often show no visible symptoms until the disease reaches advanced stages, yet they can transmit the disease to other deer during that time. This silent progression makes robust surveillance programs essential for protecting herd health.

Louisiana’s deer population plays an important ecological, cultural, and economic role in the state. During the 2024 to 2025 hunting season, approximately 213,000 hunters harvested an estimated 239,000 white-tailed deer. Harvest numbers have steadily increased over the past decade, underscoring the need for continued monitoring as hunting participation remains strong.

Although there is currently no evidence that CWD infects humans, both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization advise against consuming meat from deer known to be infected. Hunters in areas where CWD has been identified are encouraged to have harvested deer tested before consumption. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries provides testing for hunter-harvested deer at no cost, and samples collected from harvested animals, symptomatic deer, and targeted surveillance efforts are submitted to LSU Diagnostics for analysis.

Housed within the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, LSU Diagnostics is a full-service laboratory accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The laboratory provides comprehensive animal disease diagnostic services to agricultural producers, veterinarians, and animal owners throughout Louisiana and neighboring states. In addition to diagnostic testing, the lab supports research, investigates emerging and economically significant diseases, and works closely with state agencies to protect animal and public health.

As CWD continues to challenge wildlife agencies across North America, the partnership between LSU Diagnostics and state and federal collaborators highlights the vital role veterinary diagnostic laboratories play in disease surveillance, research advancement, and safeguarding both animal populations and the communities that depend on them.