An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
In collaboration with our partners, the Wildlife Health Program provides surveillance and diagnostic expertise on infectious and non-infectious diseases in Kentucky's wildlife, and the affects of disease on wildlife populations.
We're updating the Widlife Health Program web pages. More information on surveillance and diagnostics will be added soon.
An invasive species, Asian longhorned ticks were first reported in the United States in 2017. As these ticks have been detected in Kentucky, the Wildlife Health Program monitors for potential diseases that these ticks could carry that could have the potential to harm people, wildlife, pets, and livestock.
Since 2002, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has tested more than 39,000 deer and elk for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk, and other species in the deer family.
Hemorrahagic disease (often called "bluetongue virus") is one of the most important diseases affecting white-tailed deer populations in Kentucky and throughout the Southeast. Collaborating with partners, the Wildlife Health Program monitors for outbreaks of the disease across the state and region.
In collaboration with regional staff and partners, the Wildlife Health Program monitors and investigates reports of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
Lymphoproliferative Disease (LPDV) is a retrovirus that causes tumors in turkeys. The Wildlife Health Program, in partnership with the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's Turkey Program, are monitoring and conducting research on turkeys showing signs of LPDV in order to understand the effects of this disease on Kentucky's wild turkey populations.
While white-tailed deer are natural hosts for the meningeal worm without any sign of disease, elk infected with the worm may develop fatal neurologic issues if infected with the parasite. The Wildlife Health Program conducts surveillance for signs of meningeal worm infections within Kentucky's elk herd.
A virus that affects the central nervous system of mammals, rabies is 100% fatal to animals and people if left untreated. According to the CDC, wild animals account for more than 90% of reported cases of rabies. The Wildlife Health Program monitors for cases of rabies in wildlife and collaborates with state public health officials to prevent any spread of the disease in Kentucky.
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