Protection of natural resources: estimating chronic wasting disease state and infection stages from antemortem tissues samples

Colorado State University's Sponsored Programs Division received a $245,323.42 cooperative agreement from the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) under the Wildlife Services program (CFDA 10.028), awarded on September 30, 2025, with completion targeted for September 28, 2026. The award supports research and technical services focused on protecting natural resources through improved diagnostic and epidemiological capabilities for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild cervids.

The primary deliverable involves developing and validating methods to estimate chronic wasting disease state and infection progression stages using antemortem tissue samples from infected wildlife populations. This research advances disease surveillance, detection, and management capabilities by enabling earlier identification of infection status in living animals—a critical advancement for state wildlife agencies, natural resource managers, and tribal governments conducting CWD surveillance and control activities across affected regions. The project directly supports USDA APHIS Wildlife Services' mission to reduce wildlife-related disease transmission and damage through applied research, surveillance technique refinement, and evidence-based management strategy development.