Failure to detect bovine viral diarrhea virus in necropsied farm-raised white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Pennsylvania.

Between January 1 and December 31, 2005 gross and histologic examinations were performed on carcasses of 61 farm-raised white-tailed deer originating from Pennsylvania. Single-tube real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) for the detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus type 1 (BVDV-1) and type 2 (BVDV-2) was performed on each animal. Virus isolation was performed on tissue samples from 25 of 61 animals. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of ear-notch skin to identify BVDV antigen was performed on each animal. All tissues samples tested negative for both BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 by real-time RT-PCR, virus isolation, and IHC. Gross or histopathologic lesions suggestive of BVDV infection were not detected. Results of this study suggest that BVD is not a common cause of mortality in farm-raised white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania.