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Washington State University pathologists have confirmed a rare case of plague in a mule deer found blind and emaciated in Idaho.

Caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis, plague occurs naturally in areas of the western United States and circulates among wild rodents and other animals. There have been five previous documented cases of plague in deer, none of which was in Idaho. The disease most commonly manifests with lesions in the deer's eyes and results in blindness, a condition that has been labeled as ocular plague.

In humans, exposure to plague can lead to severe illness and death without early antibiotic treatment. Wildlife officials recommend hunters and other people avoid contact with any animal that is blind or exhibiting abnormal behavior and record the exact location and species of the animal and report it to their state wildlife agency.

"Deer and other ruminants don't appear to be particularly susceptible to plague, but in the few published cases, it has specifically been found in the eyes," said Elis Fisk, a pathology resident at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine. "The disease doesn't necessarily kill the deer on its own, but it causes blindness, likely making them vulnerable to predators and significantly reducing their chances of survival."

The deer was spotted and reported by a member of the public on June 9 in Custer County. An Idaho Department of Fish and Game officer located and euthanized the animal the following day. Tissue samples and the deer's eyes were submitted to WADDL for testing.

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