JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri conservation officials say two free-range deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
The Department of Conservation said Tuesday the two positive test results came from 1,077 tissue samples taken from deer killed in north-central Missouri. Both positive test results were from adult bucks taken in Macon County.
Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disorder that afflicts deer, elk and moose. It's contagious among those animals, but experts say there's no evidence that it poses a risk to humans, other livestock, pets or food safety.
The department says it plans get more tissue samples for testing from the area where the two infected deer were harvested. The agency says it appeared the disease was restricted to that area.