Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife monitoring case of chronic wasting disease detected in Indiana deer near Kentucky

​​​​​FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 21, 2025) —​ ​The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is gathering additional information and evaluating potential actions following a recent confirmation of chronic wasting disease in a deer in southwest Indiana near the Kentucky border.

​​Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is caused by abnormal proteins that affect white-tailed deer, elk and other animals in the deer family. There is no known cure or vaccine, and the disease is always fatal in infected animals.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources announced Feb. 21​ that a 2 ¹/₂ year-old male hunter-harvested deer in Posey County, Indiana tested positive for CWD. Posey County is located across the Ohio River from Henderson and Union counties in Kentucky. Multiple tests confirmed the presence of CWD in the deer.

​​Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials are in communication with officials from the Indiana DNR and will reference Kentucky’s CWD Response Plan after this new out-of-state detection.

​​While not known to be transmissible to people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends avoiding consumption of meat from deer that test positive for CWD. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife also advises against consuming meat from animals that appear sick or in poor condition.

To date, CWD has been detected in Kentucky twice – first in a wild deer in Ballard County in November 2023, and more recently in a captive deer from a permitted facility in Breckinridge County this past October.​​

​​Since 2002, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has tested more than 60,000 deer and elk from every Kentucky county, with hunters contributing most of the samples. Outside the fall hunting season, the department also collects and tests samples from reported or found deer throughout the year.

Deer that appear sick but do not have an obvious injury can be reported using the department’s online reporting form. The wildlife health program staff will review the reports and contact the person submitting the information if further details are needed.​​

​​For the latest information on CWD, please visit the department’s website (fw.ky.gov) and follow its social media channels. More information about CWD is available at fw.ky.gov/cwd, cwd-info.org and through the CDC website​.