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Pre-Season Update On Anthrax, COVID-19 and CWD
THE GENERAL WHITETAIL deer season is upon us. That means Texas, the state with the largest whitetail population and the largest number of deer hunters is abuzz with activity.
Normally, our feature this time of year would talk about deer forecasts and strategies. Our columnists are providing some of that and our e-newsletter via fishgame.com is giving weekly whitetail updates.
This year we need to address some whitetail deer health issues you could encounter in the field.
For starters, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials received confirmation of anthrax in a captive white-tailed deer herd on a Val Verde County premises on July 11, 2021.
This is the first anthrax case in Texas this year according to TAHC officials and at the time of this writing no other reports were filed.
The premises is located in the south central portion of the county, north of Comstock, and has been quarantined. TAHC rules require proper disposal of affected carcasses on the premises prior to release of the quarantine.
“The TAHC will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as needed,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC State Veterinarian and Executive Director.
An outbreak of anthrax caused quite a bit of damage to whitetails in Southwest Texas over the last few years.
“Producers are encouraged to remain vigilant and consult with their local veterinary practitioner if they suspect their animals are exposed to anthrax or are interested in vaccinating their livestock.” Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution, including certain parts of Texas.
Anthrax cases in Texas are most often found in portions of Crockett, Val Verde, Sutton, Edwards, Kinney and Maverick counties according to TAHC officials.
“An effective vaccine for livestock is available and is commonly used in areas that are prone to have anthrax. To be effective, the vaccine must be used before the animal is exposed to the bacteria.”
Owners of livestock and animals displaying symptoms consistent with anthrax or hunters experiencing death of animals on their leases should contact a TAHC official immediately.
There is no approved vaccine for deer.
And speaking of vaccines, COVID-19 has been found in wild deer.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) announced confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in wild white-tailed deer in Ohio.
“These are the first deer confirmed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide, although earlier studies have shown both that deer can be experimentally infected with the virus and that some wild deer had antibodies to the virus,” USDA officials reported.
Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) analyzed blood samples from more than 600 deer in Michigan, Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania over the past decade, and they discovered that 152 wild deer, 40 percent of the deer tested from January through March 2021, had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Another three deer from January 2020 also had antibodies.
Similar stories have also been posted in The Smithsonian and Science.
One of the most interesting looks comes from Jürgen Richt, DVM, PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University.
Richt was involved directly with the study and wrote a guest post for USDA.gov.
“The “Investigation of Sars-Cov-2 Susceptibility in Ruminants and the Development of Diagnostic Tools” project, funded with a $350,000 grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, is exploring the risk that SARS-CoV-2 poses to deer, and ultimately to develop tools to protect the health and security of livestock and humans.”
“This project’s first stage according to Richut was to determine whether deer cells can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 and if white tail deer can become infected and transmit SARS-CoV-2. This would reveal critical information for decision-makers in the quest to develop and implement proper mitigation and control measures.”
The team discovered that in white tail deer and mule deer primary lung cells are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
“The researchers then explored SARS-CoV-2 transmission in infected white tail deer. Results concluded that adult white tail deer are susceptible to the virus and can transmit SARS-CoV-2 to uninfected whitetail deer. The final step of the project, currently underway, is to develop diagnostic tools to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in deer.”
What this means for hunters is unclear but there have been no warnings posted by government officials as it relates to deer transmission to humans.
It is an issue we will be covering in our e-newsletter and posting on our social media.
And we can’t cover deer disease without mentioning Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
Hunters who harvest mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, red deer, or other CWD susceptible species within the Trans-Pecos, Panhandle, and South-Central Texas CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones are REQUIRED to bring their animals to a TPWD check station within 48 hours of harvest.
This deer has obvious signs of Chronic Wasting Disease. The disease itself is controversial in Texas with some believing its danger is blown of out proportion while others are highly concerned. One thing is for sure. It’s fatal to deer that get it.
(Photo: USFWS)
TPWD urges voluntary sampling of hunter harvested deer outside of the CWD zones. Hunters interested in providing voluntary samples can contact their local TPWD biologist or bring their animals to any of the check stations located around the state. If bringing a quartered animal and the associated head to a check station, be sure to remove the head from the carcass 2 to 3 vertebrae below the head to ensure that the appropriate tissues for CWD testing are not damaged. Hunters should keep heads cool but not frozen. Rules also impose restriction of permitted live-deer movements to and from CWD zones. The rules are part of the state’s comprehensive CWD management plan to contain the disease to the areas where it is known to exist.
Hunters are encouraged to report any “sick looking” deer, elk, or other CWD susceptible species while hunting in any CWD zone to TPWD. Contact information for the CWD zone check stations is found within the CWD section of the current Outdoor Annual and associated smart device application.
To report a “sick looking” deer outside of a CWD zone, contact a TPWD wildlife biologist or Texas Game Warden.
To get information on exact counties where restrictions apply and much more on CWD visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/
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