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CONCORDIA PARISH, La. – An animal at a deer farm in Concordia Parish has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease.

The confirmed case of CWD was announced this week by Louisiana officials, who said three cases of CWD were confirmed at deer farms in Concordia, Tangipahoa and St. Landry parishes.

The announcement came after an active case of CWD was confirmed in Jefferson Davis Parish in December 2025.

These farms, which also participate in the state deer program, have been issued a quarantine restricting movement into or out of the facility, including live deer or deer products.

According to the USDA, a 2-year-old female deer tested positive for CWD on Dec. 11, 2025, at the Concordia Parish farm. The animal is one of a hunting herd of 60 deer that have since been quarantined.

Chronic Wasting Disease is a 100 percent always fatal disease in deer caused by an infectious prion in the Cervidae family. Prions are misfolded proteins. CWD prions are often spread by infected deer through bodily fluids.

These prions can be shed into the environment which causes indirect transmission of CWD to healthy deer. Healthy deer can also contract CWD by direct contact with CWD positive deer. Research has shown CWD can even spread to fawns, infant deer, before they are born through placental tissue in an infected doe’s womb. Young bucks are by far the most susceptible to CWD due to their roaming nature and bigger home ranges.

At this time, there is no cure or vaccine for CWD. Disease management strategies include mitigating risk through supplemental feed bans, carcass exportation bans and bans on movement of live deer.

For more information on CWD, visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/chronic-wasting-disease. For updates on the distribution of CWD, visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/expanding-distribution-chronic-wasting-disease.