Source: WKBN
The Pennsylvania Gaming Commission has confirmed outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) among deer in Mercer and Lawrence counties, with additional suspected cases in Butler and Erie counties. Spread by infected midges, EHD appears in late summer and lasts until the first hard frost kills the insects. Hundreds of cases have been reported statewide this year, and officials expect more once pending test results are returned.
EHD is typically discovered in already deceased deer and can significantly reduce populations, though herds often rebound within two to three years. A similar midge-borne illness, bluetongue virus (BT), has also been detected and causes severe symptoms such as swelling, weakness, fever, and respiratory distress, often leading to death. There are no treatments for EHD or BT in wild deer, though neither disease poses a risk to humans or pets. Hunters are advised not to harvest sick deer and to carefully assess hunting areas.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/oh-deer-viral-deer-disease-detected-in-local-counties/