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Thousands of deer in states like South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma have been found dead from Blue Tongue Disease (BT) or epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD).

This disease is transmitted to deer by midges (culicoides imicola) that live at limited water sources. BT has killed a few hundred deer and EHD has taken thousands.

The major signs of the disease are high fever, excessive salivation, swelling of the face and tongue. These diseases cause deer to lose their appetite, which reduces their weight. The deer will also lose their fear of man and grow progressively weaker. The tongue swells and turns, and deer can be found lying down in pools of water to cool down. Internal bleeding can occur.

The sickest animals die within one week. Incubation period is five to 20 days. Infections typically do not last more than 60 days. The disease is killed off by cold weather, but no efficient treatment has been found.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued no warnings against eating the meat. The disease is not passed from one deer to another, nor is it passed on from deer to humans.

BT causes death in less than 25 percent of deer. Once the deer dies, the virus also dies in less than one day.

Deer are usually affected in the southeast United States during August and September by EHD and BT. A bad year for infections can reduce deer herds by 245 percent.

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Original post:
Outdoors: Deer-killer disease found in state