TWRA says hemorrhagic disease confirmed in white-tailed deer in 8 counties

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) says monitoring efforts have revealed that white-tailed deer populations in the middle and western portions of the state are currently experiencing an increase in hemorrhagic disease (HD).

The TWRA says that HD is a naturally occurring disease in deer, typical of southeastern states, that can be caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and bluetongue (BT) viruses. These viruses are transmitted by a biting midge, also known as no-see-ums, and are not transmitted directly from deer-to-deer.

HD is not known to cause disease in humans either through insect bites or through handling or consuming meat from infected deer.

So far, the TWRA says HD has been lab confirmed in eight white-tailed deer in the following counties:

Franklin

Giles

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