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Virus spread by midges confirmed in a dead deer in Washington County
Paul A. SmithMilwaukee Journal Sentinel
Aug. 17, 2026, 12:57 p.m. CT
- Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) has been confirmed in a white-tailed deer in Richfield, Wisconsin.
- The virus, spread by small flies, causes internal bleeding and high fever in deer but does not infect humans.
- The Wisconsin DNR has received reports of 80 to 100 dead deer in the southeastern part of the state.
- Outbreaks of EHD typically end with the first hard frost, which kills the insects that transmit the virus.
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, has been confirmed in a sample taken in early August from a dead white-tailed deer in Richfield, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Re
The DNR collected tissue samples from deer in Washington County after an unusually high number of reports of dead deer in late July and early August, said Jasmine Batten, the DNR’s wildlife health section supervisor
The Richfield sample was positive for the virus that causes EHD. The testing was conducted at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Madison. A sample from a dead deer in West Bend is pending, Batten said
The DNR has received reports of 80 to 100 dead deer in southeastern Wisconsin in recent weeks, according to agency staff. Most have been in the Richfield, Hubertus, Slinger and West Bend areas
The virus that causes EHD is spread by midges – small flies also known as biting gnats or no-see-ums. The virus does not infect humans, even if a person handles infected deer, eats venison from infected deer or is bitten by infected midges, according to the DNR
What are the symptoms of epizootic hemorrhagic disease?
Hemorrhagic disease generally affects deer in the late summer and fall, when the biting flies are most abundant. The disease kills deer by causing severe internal bleeding, a very high fever and organ damage. The disease moves fast, and sick deer often die within three to 36 hours after symptoms show up, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Re
Clinical signs of EHD in deer often include excessive salivation, foaming around the nose and mouth and appearing weak or approachable by humans. Carcasses found in or near waterer to cool down or drink
When was the disease first recorded in Wisconsin?
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease was diagnosed for the first time in Wisconsin deer in the fall of 2002 when approximately 14 deer were found suddenly dead in Iowa County, according to the DNR
It has been documented periodically since, including 2012, when an outbreak was linked to several hundred dead deer across eight counties in southern and central Wisconsin
The DNR also reported detections of the EHD virus in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024
In the 2024 outbreak, between three and 30 dead deer were reported in Chippewa, Jackson, Monroe and Waukesha counties, according to the DNR
The estimates are based on citizen and biologist reports of sick or dead deer found with signs consistent with EHD
Where have other outbreaks been detected?
Local impacts to deer numbers can be substantial in EHD outbreaks. In 2011, the disease killed an estimated 90% of white-tailed deer along a 100-mile stretch of the Milk River in Montana
In 2025, an EHD outbreak in southeastern Ohio killed several thousand deer, according to state estimates. However, many deer also survived. A thermal imaging survey of the area following the 2025 hunting seasons found an average of 47 deer per square mile
Deer exposed to the virus are able to develop resistance to the disease and are better able to survive future outbreaks, according to wildlife disease experts
Outbreaks of EHD end when the insects die, typically after the first hard frost in Wisconsin
Batten said the DNR would conduct additional testing if dead deer are found in other counties
The DNR recommends citizens report any unusual observations of dead deer to the DNR Wildlife Switchboard by emailing DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov or calling (608) 267-0866
