Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) Confirmed As Cause of Death in Rockland County Deer

[burmjohn]

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has confirmed that approximately 100 white-tailed deer found dead in the Town of Clarkstown, Rockland County, over the last two weeks were killed by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). EHD is a viral disease of white-tailed deer that is transmitted by the biting midge in the family Culicoides. The EHD virus does not infect humans and humans are not at risk by being bitten by the infected midge also known as a no-see-um or punkie.

DEC wildlife biologists collected a sampling of deer carcasses in Rockland County and submitted them to the Fish and Wildlife Health Unit for necropsy. Tissue samples were then sent to the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory where the diagnosis of EHD was identified.

The EHD virus was last confirmed in New York in 2007 in Albany and Niagara Counties. EHD outbreaks are most common in the late summer and early fall when the midges are abundant. The symptoms of EHD include fever, small hemorrhages or bruises in the mouth and nose, swelling of the head, neck, tongue and lips. A deer infected with EHD may appear lame or dehydrated. Frequently, infected deer will seek out water sources and many succumb near a water source. An infected deer may die within 1-3 days after being bitten by the midge or the disease may progress more slowly over weeks or months. There is no treatment and no means of prevention for EHD. The dead deer do not serve as a source of infection for other animals

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EHD outbreaks do not have a significant impact on deer populations. Generally, EHD outbreaks occur in a specific geographic area and about half of the EHD infected deer may die in an outbreak. In the North, the first hard frost kills the midges that transmit the disease and the EHD outbreak ends.

Hunters should not handle or eat any deer that appears sick or acts strangely. DEC will continue to monitor the situation. Sightings of sick or dying deer should be reported to the nearest DEC Regional Office or to an Environmental Conservation Officer. For more information on EHD and helpful related links, visit the DEC website directly at http://www.dec.ny.go...als/39767.html.

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[burmjohn]

Anyone have firsthand with seeing any of this?

[Geno C]

wow i didnt think we had cases of the biting fly... i know its pretty popular out west. anyone have any incite?

[Doc]

Sounds like it's not a significant population problem unless you happen to hunt in an area where one of these outbreaks occurs. 100 cases in one town in only 2 weeks..... that sounds like a pretty big deal if I was trying to hunt there, especially if those 100 cases are clustered into a small area of that town.

[landtracdeerhunter]

I believe their were cases showing up in the northwest part of Niagara County, near Youngstown. The DEC didn't release the findings, until firearms season. No other cases have showed up since. Their was a big scare among deer hunters because, CWD was fresh in everyones mind. The problem with EHD virus is officials don't have a real handle on why it shows up in an area in late summer, early fall and moves to another, vacating the original. It may be true that it may not wipe out a "significant part of the population", but if it was happening in your area, hunting or not, It becomes a major concern, as it did here. One more thing, it seems to hit some of the best animals, and I'm not just not talking about racks, something the "professionals" don't mention.

Edited September 8, 2011 by landtracdeerhunter