Mule deerpox virus (DPV) is a member of the Poxviridae family that affects various deer species, causing crustaceous skin lesions and potentially lethal infections. In this study, we aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of DPV in farmed white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) in Florida, USA, from 2017 to 2023. Necropsies were performed, and specimens were collected from 776 deer. Focusing on 145 animals with DPV-like lesions, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and whole genome sequencing confirmed the presence of DPV in multiple specimen types. The results indicated that 49 out of 145 deer (33.8 %, 95 % CI: 25.7 %-40.9 %) tested positive for DPV. Mule deerpox virus was identified in 20 of the 37 counties and 8 of the 10 deer management units (DMUs) where we collected specimens. All DPV infection cases occurred in summer and fall. Lesion swabs (4/4, 100 %) and lesion tissues (16/18, 89 %) exhibited the highest PCR-positivity rates among the specimens collected from DPV-infected animals, while no whole blood samples (0/13, 0 %) tested positive. Additionally, DPV nucleic acid was also detected in fecal swabs (4/9, 44 %), suggesting that DPV may be transmitted through the oral-fecal route. Fawns aged 1-3 months (37/70, 52.9 %, 95 % CI: 41.3 %-64.1 %) exhibited statistically higher positivity rates than other age groups. This is the first study investigating the spatial and temporal patterns of DPV in farmed WTD in Florida. The findings emphasize the need for enhanced disease surveillance, non-invasive testing methods, and preventive measures to mitigate the impact of DPV on the deer farming industry and wildlife conservation.

A 7-year-old farmed white-tailed deer doe was transported to a Levy County, Florida property and began to decline in health, exhibiting weight loss and pelvic limb weakness. The doe prematurely delivered live twin fawns, both of which later died. The doe was treated with corticosteroids, antibiotics, gastric cytoprotectants, and B vitamins but showed no improvement. The doe was euthanized, and a post mortem examination was performed under the University of Florida’s Cervidae Health Research Initiative. We collected lung tissue after the animal was euthanized and performed histological evaluation, using H&E and Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) staining, and molecular evaluation, using conventional PCR, followed by Sanger sequencing. The microscopic observations of the H&E-stained lung showed multifocal granuloma, while the ZN-stained tissue revealed low numbers of beaded, magenta-staining rod bacteria inside the granuloma formation. Molecular analysis identified the presence of Mycobacterium kansasii. This isolation of a non-tuberculous Mycobacterium in a white-tailed deer emphasizes the importance of specific pathogen identification in cases of tuberculosis-like disease in farmed and free-ranging cervids. We report the first case of M. kansasii infection in a farmed white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Florida. Although M. kansasii cases are sporadic in white-tailed deer, it is important to maintain farm biosecurity and prevent farmed cervids from contacting wildlife to prevent disease transmission.

We report the isolation and coding complete genome sequences of a new CHeRI orbivirus from the spleen of a dead farmed white-tailed deer in Florida whose death was attributed to an infection by mule deerpox virus. Phylogenetic and genetic analyses support this new virus as the fifth strain of the CHeRI orbivirus 3 species, and we designated it CHeRI orbivirus 3–5. While our previous detections and isolations of CHeRI orbiviruses were from deer spleens that also contained epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus-2, or in one case, Hardee County ephemerovirus 1, no deerpox virus was isolated from the spleen of the animal in this report, marking the first time we have isolated a CHeRI orbivirus without a co-infecting agent.

Trueperella pyogenes is a gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic bacterium known to cause infections in both domestic and wild animals, including white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus ). However, limited studies have focused on its impact on farmed WTD. In this study, we aimed to explore the demographic features, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles, and virulence factors of T. pyogenes isolated from farmed WTD in Florida. Between 2016 and 2023, we managed 831 deceased farmed WTD cases. Specimens from 715 animals were subjected to bacterial culture. T. pyogenes was isolated from 147 (20.6%) animals, ranking as the second most frequently isolated bacterial pathogen. All T. pyogenes -infected animals exhibited pneumonia. T. pyogenes infection cases were notably more prevalent during summer and fall. Between September 2020 and May 2022, all available T. pyogenes isolates ( n = 37) recovered from various specimen types from 30 diseased deer were included and analyzed using whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic approaches. The results revealed substantial single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity within the core genomes of the T. pyogenes strains. Antimicrobial resistance profiling showed that tetracycline resistance genes, particularly tetW , predominated, while genes associated with resistance to aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, and other tetracyclines were detected sporadically. Genes for several virulence factors were also identified, including pyolysin ( plo ), collagen-binding protein ( cbpA ), and various adhesion molecules. These findings highlight the importance of disease management strategies, including surveillance and targeted antimicrobial use, to mitigate T. pyogenes transmission in farmed WTD. Broader surveillance using non-postmortem clinical specimens and culture-independent approaches is needed to better understand its epidemiology. IMPORTANCE: Trueperella pyogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that has likely been underrecognized in its role in white-tailed deer health. Our demographic and genomic analysis of T. pyogenes isolated from deceased farmed white-tailed deer in Florida identified seasonal patterns, frequent association with pneumonia, and substantial genomic diversity among isolates. These findings highlight the need for enhanced surveillance, improved diagnostic approaches, and preventive measures to better understand and manage T. pyogenes infections in farmed and free-ranging cervid populations. By characterizing the demographic and genomic features of T. pyogenes in this understudied host system, this study provides a foundation for future research on pathogen ecology, disease surveillance, and cervid health management, including monitoring in settings where farmed deer may interact with surrounding wildlife.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a globally significant pathogen affecting both domestic livestock and wildlife, including white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus). While experimental infections have demonstrated WTD susceptibility to BVDV, natural infections and associated reproductive outcomes remain scarcely documented. Here, we report the first confirmed case of naturally occurring BVDV-1 infection associated with fetal mummification in farmed WTD in Florida. A two-year-old doe experienced a stillbirth involving two mummified fetuses, which were submitted for necropsy and laboratory diagnostics. Gross findings included diarrhea and underdeveloped eyes in the fetuses, along with small white nodules indicative of amnion nodosum. While not harmful, this condition suggests underlying fetal compromise or intrauterine stress. Virus isolation using Vero E6 and bovine turbinate cell lines, along with a reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assay specifically developed in this study, confirmed the presence of BVDV-1 (Pestivirus bovis) RNA in both maternal and fetal samples, suggesting vertical transmission. Sanger sequencing of RT-PCR amplicons further verified the virus species as BVDV-1. Differential diagnostics for other pathogens, including bluetongue virus, epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, Mycobacterium spp., and Toxoplasma gondii, were negative. These findings underscore the importance of using biosecurity measures and including BVDV in the differential diagnosis of abortions to reduce the risk of BVDV transmission and potential outbreaks on deer farms, particularly those close to cattle operations. The molecular tools developed in this study provide a robust framework for improved detection and monitoring of BVDV in both wildlife and livestock populations.

To date, no bovine viral diarrhea virus-2 (BVDV-2) coding-complete genomes are available from white-tailed deer (WTD) in Florida. We determined the coding-complete genome sequences of four BVDV-2 isolates from farmed WTD that were found dead in 2018. These belonged to BVDV-2 sub-genotype a.