NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Reports of hemorrhagic disease have been confirmed in eight counties across the Volunteer State, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Association.

The disease is naturally-occurring and can be caused by either epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue viruses, which are transmitted by biting midges — also called no-see-ums — and is not known to cause disease in humans, per the TWRA.

Though hemorrhagic disease happens every season, severity varies. Outbreaks can be linked to environmental conditions that affect midges' life cycles. The TWRA noted that years of heavy rain in spring and early summer with dry conditions in late summer, like what's happened in Tennessee this year, can create more favorable conditions for midge reproduction and higher midge populations.

Symptoms of the disease in deer include:

• Fatigue
• Respiratory distress
• Swollen tongue
• Mouth sores
• Fever
• Sloughing of hooves, which could cause lameness

Deer may also become thin and have their tongues hanging from their mouths. They may drool excessively and not be afraid of humans. Typically, the TWRA said you may find sick, dying or dead deer near water sources as they try to relieve their fever. Notably, though, not all deer that succumb to hemorrhagic disease will look sick.

The TWRA said the disease has been lab-confirmed in Franklin, Giles, Humphreys, Lewis, Shelby, Sumner, Wayne and Williamson Counties — there have been other reports of both sick and dead deer from other parts of the state consistent with hemorrhagic disease.

Deer may be able to recover from hemorrhagic disease and develop immunity to pass to the next generation, so outbreak severity also depends on the level of herd immunity to the viruses. These survivors might look thin and could be lame until their condition improves, the TWRA said.

If you find a deer that's sick or dead, you can follow this link to report it. TWRA staff members may reach out to you if there's the chance to collect a viable sample for testing as testing for hemorrhagic disease can only happen within 24 hours of the animal's death.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/hemorrhagic-disease-8-tn-counties-twra/