The confirmation of always-lethal chronic wasting disease among the ranks of the Jackson Elk Herd is spurring discussions about how to best detect its presence as it spreads through the natural environment. The vector of CWD is called a prion, which is a misfolded brain protein known for its near indestructibility and knack for persisting in the natural environment, including in soil and water. Since just a single elk to date has tested positive for CWD, itâs likely that prions have been deposited locally only at trace levels â so far. Nevertheless, National Elk Refuge biologist Eric Cole is one person on the hunt for some type of test or monitoring system to track its spread as more elk and deer become infected and prions accumulate on the landscape.