2012 REPORT ON EPIZOOTIC HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE HELPS CLARIFY EXTENT OF OUTBREAK

A total of 1,274 deer were suspected of having Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in 2012, and although considered to be one of the worst outbreaks in the state, data suggests that this disease had

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease helps clarify extent of outbreak

“patchy” impacts on populations within deer management units (DMU).

Seventeen deer from 16 counties were diagnosed with EHD in 2012, with 16 of the deer being EHDV-2 positive and one deer being EHDV-1 positive. Sick or dead deer found during the outbreak that exhibited symptoms or signs suggestive of EHD were designated as suspects and counted, making the total count 1,274, including the ones that were tested.

To put Kansas EHD mortality rates into perspective, surrounding states reported the following figures for 2012: Illinois – 2,925; Iowa – 2,974; Nebraska – 5,998; Missouri – 10,177.

The 16 counties with confirmed cases of EHD-infected deer in 2012 included Anderson, Atchison, Coffey, Cowley, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Lyon, Marshall, Osage, Republic, and Wilson.

Despite the high mortality rate associated with this disease, deer populations typically recover within a few years following EHD die-offs. The deer population in eastern Kansas continues to be robust and "gaps" left by EHD will quickly fill in with deer moving in from adjacent, less affected areas.

Although the viral cause of EHD was not discovered until the late-1950s, reports of die-offs consistent with EHD date back to the 1890s. Large scale regional deer population decreases have not been observed, but this disease can have a significant effect upon the deer in a localized area because of the high mortality rate associated with it.

EHD is an acute, infectious, viral disease transmitted between animals by biting midges. EHD typically occurs in late summer and fall and is thought to be consistent with periods of biting midge abundance. Freezing temperatures usually greatly reduce these populations, bringing a sudden end to outbreaks, however active midge populations have been reported during winter in more mild climates.

Deer infected with EHD suffer from dehydration and high fever, causing them to seek water. Consequently, most deer that have fallen victim to this disease are found near the edges of rivers, ditches, and marshes.

There is no known effective treatment or control for EHD.

Other wildlife species in Kansas, such as mule deer, elk, and pronghorn, can also be infected with EHD virus but are less susceptible to the disease.

For more information, visit http://www.vet.uga.edu/scwds/pdfs/HD.pdf, orhttp://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/specialstock/deer/hemorrhagic/index.htm.

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NINE DEER TEST POSITIVE FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

CWD (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

All but three from northwest Kansas; numbers stable
PRATT— The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has announced that nine deer from Kansas tested positive for chronic wasting disease, seven confirmed and two presumptive, for the current test year. That total is down from 10 confirmed positive during last year’s testing. The two presumptive positive samples will be sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for confirmation. All but three of the nine deer — one from Stafford County one from Sumner County, and one from Ford County — were animals from northwestern Kansas. The Stafford, Sumner, and Ford county cases were firsts for each county. Eight of the deer were taken by hunters during the 2011 hunting seasons, and one was euthanized by a KDWPT natural resource officer after it was reported as acting sick.
Two cases were from Norton County and one each from Decatur, Ford, Rawlins, Stafford, Sumner, Trego, and Wallace counties.
All cases were white-tailed deer. This season’s testing results bring the total number of confirmed CWD cases in Kansas to 49 since testing began in 1996. In total, 2,447 animals were tested for CWD for the 2011 deer seasons. Although most testing is finished for the year, KDWPT will continue testing some vehicle-killed and sick or suspect-looking deer, as well as deer taken with depredation permits, through July 31.
Annual testing is part of an ongoing effort by KDWPT to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in a Kansas wild deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005.
CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication, but in the later stages, signs may include behavioral changes such as decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans. Anyone who discovers a sick or suspect deer should contact the nearest KDWPT office.
“It must be noted that many symptoms of CWD are indicative of other diseases,” says KDWPT wildlife disease coordinator Shane Hesting. “A sick deer may or may not be infected with CWD. CWD is a serious deer disease but is still a rare disease in Kansas. There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents the spread of CWD. However, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or livestock in the natural environment.”
Still, precautions should be taken. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected, and common-sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found. More information on CWD can be found on KDWPT’s website, ksoutdoors.com or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website, www.cwd-info.org.

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SPRINGTIME CAUTION: LEAVE YOUNG WILDLIFE ALONE

Image via Wikipedia

Young animals may seem abandoned but are seldom alone in the wild; “rescue,” however, may kill them

PRATT — Spring is a time of rebirth and birth, with trees budding and young wildlife being born and hatched, and different levels of parental care are employed within the animal kingdom, all designed to work without human interference. But one common problem occurs when seemingly abandoned or orphaned wildlife are picked up by well-intentioned persons, often with tragic results.

Mammals such as deer often leave their young to search for food. Deer fawns are born with natural camouflage and little scent, making it difficult for predators to detect them. A spotted coat helps hide young as they sit motionless in surrounding cover. These adaptations make it possible for the doe to move about and feed, maintaining her strength as she provides for her young. Raccoons and other mammals employ similar strategies.

Well-meaning individuals sometimes discover young deer, raccoons, foxes, rabbits, or skunks and assume that they are orphaned or abandoned. Usually, the mother is close at hand but out of sight waiting for the human intruders to leave the area. In this situation, it is extremely important to leave the animals as found in the wild. To pick them up and take them home is illegal, for good reason. Wild animals often have very specific dietary requirements and often die under human care. Those that do survive have little chance of surviving if returned to the wild.

Another reason to avoid picking up wild animals is health. Wild animals carry diseases and parasites that can infect humans or their pets. Dogs, if not vaccinated, may contract distemper from infected coyotes, foxes, or even weasels. Bobcats can transmit a similar disease to domestic cats. Ticks from host animals can expose humans to Lyme disease, and perhaps the greatest danger wild animals pose to humans is rabies. Many animals can carry rabies for several days without showing any outward symptoms.

Pet dogs and cats should also be restrained during the season when young birds, rabbits, and other wildlife are young. Both dogs and cats can be deadly to wild young, no matter how friendly they may seem to humans.

It can be a wonderful experience to see young animals in the wild, but for the benefit of the wildlife, it is important to leave them in the wild, where they are best equipped to survive.

TEN KANSAS DEER CONFIRMED POSITIVE IN CWD TESTS

Number of confirmed cases same as last year
PRATT— The number of positive cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD in Kansas appears to be stable for now. On March 2, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) announced that 10 deer from northwestern Kansas had tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the same number as last year although two of those deer were found in counties farther east than any previous confirmations. These were animals taken by hunters in the 2010 hunting seasons.

Six confirmed cases of CWD deer were taken by hunters in Decatur County and one each from Graham, Norton, Sherman, and Smith counties. The Norton, Sherman, and Smith cases were firsts for those counties. The cases included nine white-tailed and one mule deer. This season’s testing results brings the total number of confirmed CWD cases in Kansas to 40 since testing began in 1996. In total, 2,503 animals were tested for CWD for the 2010 deer seasons. Although most testing is finished for the year, KDWP will continue testing some vehicle-killed and sick or suspect-looking deer, as well as deer taken with depredation permits, through July 31. If U.S. Department of Agriculture funding is available, and new surveillance period will begin Aug. 1.

Annual testing is part of ongoing effort by KDWP to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in a wild deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005. Three infected deer were taken in Decatur County in 2007 and 10 tested positive in 2008, all in northwest Kansas.

CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication (only two of the 40 positive animals showed symptoms) but in the later stages, signs may include behavioral changes such as decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans. Anyone who discovers a sick or suspect deer should contact the nearest KDWP office.

“It must be noted that many symptoms of CWD are indicative of other diseases,” says KDWP wildlife disease coordinator Shane Hesting. “Thus, a sick deer may or may not be infected with CWD. CWD is a serious deer disease but is still a rare disease in Kansas. There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents the spread of CWD. However, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or livestock in the natural environment.”

Still, precautions should be taken. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected, and common sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found. More information on CWD can be found on KDWP’s website,www.kdwp.state.ks.us or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website,www.cwd-info.org.

Fishing Tips

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FIRST CASE OF CHRONIC WASTING IN 2010 DEER SEASON CONFIRMED

White-tailed deer taken in Decatur County Nov. 7; complete results due in spring
PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced the first confirmed case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) found in a deer taken during a 2010 deer season. The animal was the only one of 90 tested by KDWP as of Dec. 8 to show a “presumptive positive” result. Samples of deer tissue taken by KDWP are sent to the K-State Diagnostic Veterinary Lab in Manhattan for preliminary testing. If the K-State lab determines the sample is a presumptive positive, the sample is then sent to the National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa, for confirmation.
This deer was a 3 ½-year-old male taken in Decatur County by an archery hunter on Nov. 7. Because samples from the January whitetail antlerless only seasons have yet to be collected, complete results of testing won’t be available until March. Last year, 2,738 animals were tested for CWD, including 17 elk, 289 mule deer, and 2,428 white-tailed deer, and four unknown species. Of those samples, 15 were confirmed positive.
Annual testing is part of ongoing effort by KDWP to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in a wild deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005. Three infected deer were taken in Decatur County in 2007, 10 tested positive in 2008, and 15 in 2009, all in northwest Kansas.
CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication but in the later stages, signs may include behavioral changes such as decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans. Anyone who discovers a sick or suspect deer should contact the nearest KDWP office.
There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents the spread of CWD. However, there is no evidence that CWD in the natural environment poses a risk to humans or livestock. Still, precautions should be taken. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected, and common sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found. More information on CWD can be found on KDWP’s website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website, www.cwd-info.org

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