Wildlife officials say five deer harvested in the McGregor Range area of southern New Mexico during the last hunting season have tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
The state Department of Game and Fish made the announcement Tuesday.
First discovered in New Mexico in 2002, chronic wasting disease has only been found in the state's southern hunting units. To date, 42 deer and eight elk have tested positive.
The neurological disease is found in deer, elk and moose. Known to be fatal in these species, it attacks the brains of infected animals.
It's recommended that hunters avoid eating meat from animals that appear sick or that have tested positive. However, officials say no known transmission to humans has been documented through the consumption of meat from an infected animal.
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