NASHVILLE — As an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) continues across the state, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is attempting to set hunters' fears at ease about the disease.

In a press release issued by the agency, TWRA Region II Manager Steve Patrick points out that EHD should not be confused with the much more serious Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

Deer in advanced stages of EHD, which is spread by a type of biting gnat, tend to stagger and salivate excessively and lose their fear of man . . . which can also be signs of CWD.

"Some callers are worried that deer might have chronic wasting disease, but we do not have chronic wasting disease in Tennessee," Patrick pointed out.

TWRA has conducted extensive testing of harvested and dead deer throughout the state the past several years specifically for the purpose of determining whether CWD exists in Tennessee, which it does not. To date, the closest to Tennessee the disease has turned up is the upper Midwest.

"This particular disease (EHD) is not a danger to humans or fatal to other animals," Patrick said.

TWRA noted that the disease, which typically continues until the first frost of the season kills off the gnats responsible for transmitting the disease, usually in mid-October, can be detrimental to local populations of deer but is usually not a threat to the statewide population.

It has been noted that EHD began to turn up earlier this year than in typical years; usually, it isn't reported until after squirrel season opens and hunters begin entering the woods, whereas this year it began being reported in early August. Some biologists have expressed concern at that fact; however, Patrick points out that the earlier sightings could be a result of EHD-infected deer congregating at the same water holes. The extreme drought conditions across the state have resulted in many traditional water holes drying up.

There is no evidence that drought or heat can worsen an EHD outbreak; however, the last major outbreak of the disease in Tennessee was in 1999. While the summer of 1999 was neither as hot nor dry as this summer, it was exceptionally hot and exceptionally dry.

The extent of the outbreak of EHD this year is not yet known, though TWRA Big Game Coordinator Daryl Ratyzjcak said in a discussion on the website TnDeer.Com earlier this month that the reported deer deaths had at that time been limited to fewer than six per any piece of property.