Diseases and Parasites

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 220 Viral Diseases ......................................................................................................................................... 221

Hemorrhagic Disease ........................................................................................................................ 221 Cutaneous Fibromas ......................................................................................................................... 221 Arboviruses ....................................................................................................................................... 222 Other Viruses ..................................................................................................................................... 223

Bacterial Diseases .................................................................................................................................. 223 Anthrax ............................................................................................................................................. 223 Dermatophilosis ................................................................................................................................ 224 Brain Abscesses/Intracranial Abscesses ............................................................................................ 225 Bovine Tuberculosis .......................................................................................................................... 225 Johne’s Disease/Paratuberculosis ...................................................................................................... 227 Leptospirosis ..................................................................................................................................... 228 Salmonella ........................................................................................................................................ 228 Lyme Disease .................................................................................................................................... 229

Rickettsial Diseases ............................................................................................................................... 230 Anaplasmosis .................................................................................................................................... 230

Chronic Wasting Disease ....................................................................................................................... 232 Parasites ................................................................................................................................................. 234

Protozoa ............................................................................................................................................ 234 Toxoplasmosis.............................................................................................................................. 234 Babesiosis .................................................................................................................................... 234 Theileriosis ................................................................................................................................... 234

Trematodes ........................................................................................................................................ 235 Liver Fluke ................................................................................................................................... 235

Nematodes ........................................................................................................................................ 235 Large Lungworm ......................................................................................................................... 235 Large Stomach Worm .................................................................................................................. 236 Meningeal Worm .......................................................................................................................... 236 Arterial Worm .............................................................................................................................. 237 Abdominal Worm ......................................................................................................................... 238

Cestodes ............................................................................................................................................ 238 Larval Tapeworm ......................................................................................................................... 238

Arthropods ........................................................................................................................................ 238 Ticks ............................................................................................................................................. 238 Ear Mites ...................................................................................................................................... 238 Demodectic Mange ...................................................................................................................... 240 Other Common Arthropods ......................................................................................................... 240

Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................ 240 References .............................................................................................................................................. 240

Wildlife biologists have long pursued understanding the ecology of diseases and parasites impacting white-tailed deer (e.g., see Whitlock, 1939), an important eld of study because they can detrimentally affect deer populations, other wildlife, livestock, and humans (Davidson et  al., 1981). Diseases and parasites of white-tailed deer, perhaps more than any other North American large mammal species, have received much attention in the literature and complete treatises have been devoted to the subject (e.g., see Davidson et al., 1981). In the last 20 years it has become necessary for wildlife biologists to incorporate disease concerns into the management of white-tailed deer (Figure 7.1). For example, at the federal level the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is working to manage white-tailed deer diseases, some with implications for livestock health, including bluetongue (BT), bovine tuberculosis, cattle fever ticks, chronic wasting disease (CWD), and Johne’s disease. Much of our knowledge stems from the exhaustive work with white-tailed deer diseases and parasites performed at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia over nearly six decades (e.g., see Hayes et al., 1958). Recent advances in our under standing of the ecology of white-tailed deer diseases and parasites have also been made by state and federal agencies, and university scientists.