ITHACA, N.Y. -- In March 2005, Cornell University scientists confirmed the fears of many Empire State public health officials, deer farmers, hunters and other stakeholders: Chronic wasting disease (CWD), an incurable and fatal condition in deer and elk, had spread to New York. On Aug. 13 in Syracuse, N.Y., experts from around the nation will address this problem at a special seminar: "Deer and Chronic Wasting Disease in New York State: A Workshop for Sportsmen, Farmers and Outdoor Writers."

Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension, the American Wildlife Conservation Foundation, the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, this event will bring together some of the nation's leading authorities on CWD. Presentations will be made by staff from the National Wildlife Health Center, Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine and the New York State Departments of Health, Agriculture and Markets, and Environmental Conservation. 

"This symposium will provide a forum for the discussion of the ecological and social impacts of chronic wasting disease in deer so that stakeholders can make informed decisions," said Paul Curtis, associate professor of natural resources at Cornell. 

In March and April, tissue samples from five deer at two Oneida County deer farms tested positive for CWD when they were examined at Cornell's Vet College. Subsequent tests of nearby free-ranging deer herds revealed that two wild white-tailed deer also were infected. As of mid-July, no other wild New York deer have tested positive for CWD.

CWD in deer and elk is similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, which affects domestic livestock such as beef cattle -- in that it ultimately destroys the central nervous systems of its victims. To date, there is no cure for either malady.

The March discovery of CWD in Oneida County makes New York the eastern most state to confirm the disease's presence. CWD in deer is causing concern among those who eat venison -- either wild or domestic -- and among state agency officials. 

Registration is $20. The event will be held at the Wyndham Hotel in Syracuse. For more information, call (607) 255-2115 or visit the Cornell Cooperative Extension CWD Web site at: http://wildlifecontrol.info/CWD/default.htm.