Knimrod
10-26-2005, 11:37 PM
Hunters asked to help track disease
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
By Howard Meyerson
Grand Rapids Press
The Department of Natural Resources, which Monday announced two more local deer tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), is turning to hunters for help.
The agency is looking to recruit 100 deer hunters -- or at least enough to collect blood samples from 100 dead deer in Kent and other area counties.
"We want to see how many deer have antibodies for the disease," said Sara Schaefer, DNR wildlife supervisor for Southwest Michigan. "It will tell us whether it is common or not so common, and help us understand what is going on with free-ranging deer and EEE.
"We think it's possible that deer can get exposed and recover like any other virus if their immune system is healthy. That's why we're looking for antibodies."
The two additional deer that tested positive for EEE bring to seven the total found since August. All were discovered within a 25-mile area in Kent, southwest Montcalm and northwest Ionia counties.
The latest were found in Otisco Township in Ionia County and Grand Rapids Township in Kent County.
Wildlife officials say the cluster of sick deer is unusual. The disease, which affects horses, first was confirmed in Michigan in 1942.
Up to 200 cases have been reported in southern Michigan horses in the past 43 years, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
But until now, only two deer in the nation were reported as dying from the disease. Both occurred in 2001; one each in Georgia and Wisconsin.
If the Southwest Michigan deer have the antibodies -- which means they were exposed and have developed a natural defense -- it will confirm that exposure does not necessarily lead to death, Schaefer said.
"People keep saying this is a new thing that is showing up suddenly, but we suspect that it's not new and that deer have been getting exposed to EEE. The sick deer we've seen might even have recovered if we hadn't killed them.
"The only way to know for sure is to test the deer."
The survey will examine the blood of 50 deer from Kent County and 50 from Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Cass and St. Joseph counties, where EEE has been reported in horses for years.
Results will be issued after all the samples are analyzed. Hunters will be sent a copy of the study results, Schaefer said.
Link to story (http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-25/1130337954209260.xml&coll=6)
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
By Howard Meyerson
Grand Rapids Press
The Department of Natural Resources, which Monday announced two more local deer tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), is turning to hunters for help.
The agency is looking to recruit 100 deer hunters -- or at least enough to collect blood samples from 100 dead deer in Kent and other area counties.
"We want to see how many deer have antibodies for the disease," said Sara Schaefer, DNR wildlife supervisor for Southwest Michigan. "It will tell us whether it is common or not so common, and help us understand what is going on with free-ranging deer and EEE.
"We think it's possible that deer can get exposed and recover like any other virus if their immune system is healthy. That's why we're looking for antibodies."
The two additional deer that tested positive for EEE bring to seven the total found since August. All were discovered within a 25-mile area in Kent, southwest Montcalm and northwest Ionia counties.
The latest were found in Otisco Township in Ionia County and Grand Rapids Township in Kent County.
Wildlife officials say the cluster of sick deer is unusual. The disease, which affects horses, first was confirmed in Michigan in 1942.
Up to 200 cases have been reported in southern Michigan horses in the past 43 years, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
But until now, only two deer in the nation were reported as dying from the disease. Both occurred in 2001; one each in Georgia and Wisconsin.
If the Southwest Michigan deer have the antibodies -- which means they were exposed and have developed a natural defense -- it will confirm that exposure does not necessarily lead to death, Schaefer said.
"People keep saying this is a new thing that is showing up suddenly, but we suspect that it's not new and that deer have been getting exposed to EEE. The sick deer we've seen might even have recovered if we hadn't killed them.
"The only way to know for sure is to test the deer."
The survey will examine the blood of 50 deer from Kent County and 50 from Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Cass and St. Joseph counties, where EEE has been reported in horses for years.
Results will be issued after all the samples are analyzed. Hunters will be sent a copy of the study results, Schaefer said.
Link to story (http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-25/1130337954209260.xml&coll=6)