Nonlethal experimental inoculation of Columbia black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) with virus of epizootic hemorrhagic deer disease.

Intramuscular or intravenous inoculation of 5 Columbia black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) with virus of epizootic hemorrhagic deer disease (EHD) did not produce overt clinical disease. Two white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) exposed identically died in 5 to 6 days. There were no significant lesions in 1 black-tailed deer euthanatized on postinoculation day 5. The EHd virus was not isolated from the spleen of that deer. Seroconversion occurred in black-tailed deer, from zero EHD virus antibody titer before inoculation to titers of 1:128 to 1:256 after inoculation.