EHD Virus Found in Deer in Four Michigan Counties

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has found free-ranging white-tailed deer with epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in four counties in the Lower Peninsula.

What is Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease?

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Epizootic hemorrhagic disease is a virus white-tailed deer contract after being bitten by an infected midge or deer fly. Unlike chronic wasting disease (CWD), EHD cannot spread directly from deer to deer.

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Deer infected with EHD are often found sick or dead near bodies of water. The virus causes a high fever that can lead to severe dehydration. Infected deer may appear disoriented, weak, and lethargic, and in some cases, they can have bloody discharge from the nose or mouth. Their tongues may also turn blue, while swelling around the eyes and eyelids can occur.

Read More: Deadly Deer Virus EHD Detected in Michigan

The DNR asks if you find an area with dead deer or see sickly deer to be a part of their Eyes in the Field and report these through their online system.

DNR: Four Michigan Counties Have EHD Virus in Deer

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According to a Michigan DNR press release, cases of EHD in white-tailed deer have been confirmed in Branch, Ingham, Jackson, and Lenawee counties. All four counties are home to large deer populations, but Jackson County is particularly well known for producing some of the biggest deer in the state.

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The DNR says hunters should not harvest or eat deer that appear visibly sick. However, deer harvested from the affected counties are still considered safe to eat as long as the animal appeared healthy at the time it was harvested. The DNR does not expect the current outbreak to have a significant long-term impact on deer populations in the counties where the disease has been detected.

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