Seasonal disease found in reindeer at Minnesota Zoo

A seasonal disease that affects reindeer has been detected in the herd at the Minnesota Zoo, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

MBAH identifies the disease as Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, which is transmitted to deer by biting gnats. The disease cannot be transferred to humans.

According to a news release, a veterinarian noticed one of the deer in the herd was sick, and when it died, a necropsy confirming EHD was performed by the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

MBAH says four deer in the herd are now deceased, and eight have confirmed cases of EHD.

The zoo is taking a number of precautions to reduce the spread, including isolating reindeer and caribou from other members of the deer family. The staff is also monitoring the bison herd at the zoo, which can also be infected by the disease.