DNR confirms first Michigan cases of EHD for 2025

Lansing — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reporting Michigan’s first detected cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in 2025.

The DNR Wildlife Health Section, Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study confirmed the EHD virus in free-ranging white-tailed deer from Eaton, Jackson, Van Buren, and Washtenaw counties. As samples are submitted from additional counties, any further detections will be posted on the DNR’s EHD webpage.

EHD is a viral, sometimes fatal disease that periodically affects white-tailed deer in Michigan. It is transmitted through the bite of an infected midge, or biting fly. Deer cannot transmit the disease directly to one another; the virus must pass through the insect.

There is no evidence that humans, household pets or other Michigan wildlife can contract the EHD virus. Venison harvested in areas affected by EHD is safe for consumption. It’s not recommended to consume any animals that are visibly sick, but healthy deer harvested from areas where EHD has been present are still safe to eat.

“In past years when we’ve confirmed EHD, it has typically affected only one or a few counties,” said Brent Rudolph, deer, elk, and moose management specialist for the DNR Wildlife Division. “Occasionally, localized outbreaks have been detected in a dozen or more counties, including as many as 30 in 2012.”

EHD typically affects deer in late summer and early fall. Outbreaks can be more severe in years when there is a wet spring followed by a hot, dry summer, but the first frost kills the midge population and stops disease transmission.

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Report sick or dead deer

If you suspect you have found a deer that has contracted or died from EHD, please submit a diseased wildlife report through the DNR’s Eyes in the Field online system.

Sick and dead deer are often found in or around bodies of water. Due to a high fever and dehydration, deer infected with EHD often seek water to lower their body temperature and to rehydrate.

Visible symptoms of EHD in deer include appearing lethargic, disoriented, lame or unresponsive, though these can be symptoms of other deer maladies or injuries as well. Deer infected with EHD may show bloody discharge from the nose and mouth, a swollen or blue-tinged tongue and swelling of the eyelids and around the neck or head. EHD can only be confirmed through testing by a qualified laboratory.

Once EHD is confirmed in a county, it is not necessary to continue testing for the virus, but the DNR encourages continued reporting of suspected cases online to track the full extent of an outbreak.

Minimal impact on whitetail populations expected

Although EHD outbreaks have not been shown to have a significant long-term effect on deer populations in Michigan, deer mortality can be intense in small geographic areas and local impact may persist for a few years.

Rudolph noted that not all deer in outbreak areas will contract EHD, and not all deer that get EHD will die from it.

“Deer that survive epizootic hemorrhagic disease develop immunity to the virus, and outbreaks are rarely seen in the same area in consecutive years,” he said.