Interactions Between Humans and White-Tailed Deer in Illinois: A Cross-Sectional Survey

SARS-CoV-2 has been found in multiple species, including cervids such as wild white-tailed deer (WTD), in multiple regions in the United States, including Illinois. The virus has been shown to transmit among WTD, and across species in both directions (deer-to-humans and humans-to-deer). Cross-species transmission requires infectious contact between WTD and humans, the form and frequency of which is poorly understood. The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to understand the frequency and type of contact between the general public in the state of Illinois and WTD, and to identify human populations at highest risk for such contact. An online survey was distributed using convenience sampling from list serves, social media, and community partners or extension liaisons. Questions addressed frequency and distance of contact with WTD, encompassing live animals and bodily fluids. Standard and ordinal logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with contact. An overall risk score was calculated, and linear regression was used to identify factors associated with risk. We found that hunters and those who have deer feeding on their property are more likely to report contact with deer, and that people reporting a larger lot size and living in counties with higher proportions of potential deer habitat are more likely to report deer feeding on their property. These results will better identify people with a high likelihood of WTD contact for messaging and further research. Our survey did not distinguish between contact with live and dead WTD, thus the findings are most relevant to deer-to-human cross-species transmission than the human-to-deer direction.