Article content CWD is a prion disease that is highly contagious between hoofed animals in the cervid family, spreading through saliva, animal carcasses, feces, and even soil and plants located in areas where infected animals have died. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser. Chronic Wasting Disease will be easier to monitor with new programs Back to video The contagious nature of the disease makes it a prime concern for hunters and game farmers. Once farm soil is contaminated, it can take years to rid the area of the infection and if left unchecked, it spreads quickly. But it has also proven difficult to trace, as animals only show symptoms in the latter stages of infection.