A Washington State University mule deer sample flight-shadowed by birds from sampling location to Ume Navajo County hyperspectral sensor Scientist samples a Washington State University Maverick male Whirling disease is the West Nile virus of fish A weather-watching mink Researchers have found plaque in a blind and starving pack of Idaho, showing that this rare disease can be dangerous for wildlife populations.
The Unexpected Discovery
Days later, pathologists from Washington State University confirmed a mule deer found in Idaho had plague. The case is the first in-state documentation of plague in deer, though the disease has been reported previously in Wyoming and Oregon, among other western states.
The deer had been first found in Custer County, Idaho on June 9th by a member of the public and looked to be blind and painfully thin. An Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) officer dispatched the animal the next day, sent tissue samples and the deer’s eyes to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) for testing.
The Plague’s Deadly Grip
Plague is a life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis that circulates among wild rodents and their fleas in much of the western United States. Although deer are not believed to be particularly susceptible, the rare incidences that have been documented of the disease have shown it can manifest differently than in many animals — particularly by causing blindness through a predilection for lodging in the eyes.
While, the disease itself may not directly kill the deer, it can weaken them and make them easy targets for other predators, since they are essentially very slowed down. The eyes of the blind deer, peerless samples among the dozens provided, were less dramatically bizarre as those surrounded by clear vision but still highly abnormal. The distinct eye lesion is characteristic of what’s known as ocular plague in deer.
Conclusion
The sight of plague confirmed in a blind deer in Idaho is an unhappy reminiscence that wildlife can face at enormous risk from this serious illness. Although uncommon, the presence of plague in deer populations demonstrates that monitoring and response of these types of emerging concerns are essential for wildlife agencies, public health officials, and general public. Improved understanding of the dynamics between plague and wildlife will ultimately lead to more effective preventative and management strategies that protect both animal and human health.
