One of the problems with deer and CJD (mad cow) human transmission is that mad-cow was caused by cows being fed cows (cannibal cows). The bad prion developed in cows from the cannibalism just like "Kuru" developed in people in New Guinea. We ate cannibal cow and got mad-cow. In New Guinea they ate other cannibals and got "kuru".
The symptoms of CJDv may be the same as mad-cow but the prion disease is likely caused by something we have yet to discover. Unless there are cannibal deer running around and we dont know it.
