The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has confirmed that a tissue sample collected from a deer in La Crosse County tested positive for the virus that causes epizootic hemorrhagic disease. The disease was detected after a landowner reported eight dead deer on a 200-acre property south of La Crosse.
The virus that causes EHD can be carried by midges, which are small flies also known as biting gnats or no-see-ums. The virus does not infect humans even if a person handles infected deer, eats venison from infected deer or are bitten by infected midges.
Clinical signs of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in deer include excessive salivation or foaming around the nose and mouth, appearing weak and approachable by humans, and carcasses found in or near water sources, as infected deer will often lay in water to cool down or drink.
"We're grateful that the public is tuned in to the herd’s health and quick to report these mortalities," said Paul Napierala, the DNR's Wildlife Biologist for La Crosse County. "Keep reporting sick or dead deer. Your observations help us evaluate the potential geographic distribution and number of deer affected by this disease."
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease is common across the southern and western United States, occasionally showing up in the Midwest. It can be fatal to deer, especially in populations that have limited previous exposure to the virus.
Categories: Wisconsin, Rural Lifestyle