Cooler Weather Slows Fatal Deer Virus

The cooling weather apparently has brought about a noticeable reduction in the number of deer who seem to have been infected in late August and the first half of September with a virus passed by small insects living in swampy areas, since those insects are dying off at lower temperatures, officials said.

"We have seen a drastic decrease in the number of reported sick, dying or dead deer," Township Police Lt. Ted Reese said in an email on Thursday. "The decrease started approximately two weeks ago when the weather turned cooler," Reese said.

over the previous week about deer that were displaying signs of an outbreak of a species-specific disease, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). State and local health and environmental officials offered assurance that the virus is not a danger to humans.

EHD is a viral infection that is spread to deer by the bite of a midge or gnat that has been infected with the virus, according to information issued issued by township police, the state Department of Environmental Protection and also on the township website.

Michelle Wysocki, Bernards Township animal control officer, on Thursday said the number of calls she had received about sickly and dying deer also had dwindled in the past two weeks or so.

A state DEP spokesman, Alfred Ivany, also said on Thursday that all reports coming in about dying deer seem to be slowing down. "Bernards-northern Somerset was one of the major outbreak areas initially, but nothing new to report as of now," he said in an email.

Deer infected with EHD typically die within five to 10 days of infection, according to information released last month by officials, including the DEP. Infected deer initially lose their appetite and fear of people. They grow progressively weaker and often salivate excessively. As the disease progresses, infected deer breathe heavily and develop a fever. Fever-ridden deer may go to water to drink or in an attempt to cool off. Eight to 36 hours following the onset of observable signs, the infected deer pass into a shock-like state, become prostrate and die, according to official information.

Wysocki said temperatures do not need to freeze to kill the midges that live in muddy and wet areas.

But Wysocki said more of the insects will be killed as temperatures drop. Eventually, the midges will be killed off by freezing temperatures, she said.

Virus won't necessarily be back next spring

But that doesn't mean EHD infection cycle will resume next spring, she said.

"It's not necessary that there's going to be continuing [outbreaks]," Wysocki said. She said that statistics show that even if there is some rate of infection next year — which will not necessarily be the case — then the virus usually disappears for several more season.

Wysocki's information was consistent with statements by the DEP in mid-September.  At that time, DEP spokesman Larry Ragonese said that he could say how many deer have died in the area, but that there had been tests showing in infection of deer in the overall Great Swamp area as having EHD. He said then that no deer, or deer carcasses, in Bernards had been tested by the state.

But Ragonese said that Bernards is an area that will more likely have midges, small insects that live in the mud of the Passaic River watershed. He said the infected insects will die off as the weather cools into temperatures in the 40s through the 60s and will completely die off in freezing weather.

Seven New Jersey counties had known or suspected cases of deer with EHD this year, Ivany said this week.

The virus does not affect humans and is not transmissible to humans, state and local health officials assured the public  EHD reportedly is common in the southeast portion of the country.

According to the residents are responsible for disposing of deer which die on their property. However, they also can report dead deer — or those displaying symptoms of EHD _ to township police. The message then will be passed along to the health department, which will contact the state, which then may decide to test the deer remains to confirm whether the animal died of EHD, according to the health department.

Under normal circumstances, police involvement with dead or dying deer is almost always related to deer involved in vehicle accidents, Reese said in September. But he added that EHD had created an abnormal situation, to which police were responding. In normal circumstances, police arrange for the removal of dead deer in roadways, he said.

Residents that need to have dead deer removed from private property can contact D&N RECOVERY 908-876-3341, police suggested.

Residents also can file a direct report of sighted deer exhibiting signs of EHD, such as difficulty standing, drooling, emitting foam from the mouth or nose, or dead deer with no apparent wounds, observed in or near water, to the Division's Office of Fish and Wildlife Health Forensics by calling Bill Stansley at (908) 236-2118 or Carole Stanko at (908) 735-7040.

Although EHD is not considered to be transmitted to humans under any circumstances, as of August the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife advised hunters and other outdoors enthusiasts to be alert for white-tailed deer that might be exhibiting symptoms of EHD. As with any game that appears to be ill, those animals should not be consumed, Ragonese advised in September.

New Jersey has documented occasional, localized outbreaks of EHD in different parts of the state for more than 50 years, with the last occurring in fall 2010 in Salem County, according to the DEP.

Ivany said this week the DEP will continue to track and monitor calls coming in from areas where cases have been confirmed. The DEP will investigate and take samples of any new area suspected of having an EHD outbreak, he said.