Monday, August 12, 2019 4:42 pm
Dead deer with EHD virus confirmed in Clark County
The Journal Gazette
A sample of a dead deer from Clark County has tested positive for the epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said today.
Results of samples from deer from several other counties in central and south-central Indiana are pending, the DNR's Division of Fish & Wildlife said in a statement.
EHD is a viral disease that affects white-tailed deer, typically occurring during late summer and early fall, the statement said. The virus is transmitted by flies; humans are not at risk.
The testing followed investigations by DNR staff after receiving reports of sick or dead deer in central and south-central Indiana, the statement said. It said suspect reports have come from 10 of the state's counties.
Deer infected with EHD "may appear depressed or weak and often seek out water," said Nancy Boedeker, DNR wildlife veterinarian, in the statement. "Other signs may include a blue-tinged tongue, swelling of the head, neck or eyelids, ulcers on the tongue and the oral cavity, or sloughed hooves."
Not all deer that contract the virus die, and not every deer in an affected area will contract the virus, the statement said.
The DNR monitors for the disease annually; the most significant recent outbreaks were in 2007 and 2012.