Anthrax, a notifiable disease in the United Kingdom, is an acute infectious disease of humans and animals caused by encapsulated, spore-forming, large Gram-positive rod Bacillus anthracis. It mainly affects herbivores, which are most susceptible to acute disease. Wild deer are likely to be found dead, dark tarry blood may be seen leaking from any orifice. Bacillus anthracis will be present in blood and body fluids. Postmortem examination must not be undertaken until anthrax has been ruled out by microscopic examination of a blood smear examination and any leaked blood and/or body fluids should be treated with a Department of food and rural affairs (Defra)-approved disinfectant. These fluids may contain vast numbers of B. anthracis bacilli, which can sporulate when exposed to air. The spores can survive for decades in soil and can be isolated from infected wool, hair and hides. Anthrax is spread when spores are inhaled, ingested, come into contact with skin lesions or are transmitted by infected biting insects.

In 1997 there was an epidemic in Texas (USA) in white-tailed deer, although the first cases were in grazing cattle in an area with previous anthrax cases. The initial spread was presumed to be by tabanids to deer and then more locally spread by blowflies (Hugh-Jones and de Vos 2002). An outbreak occurred in the Basilicata region of Italy in 2004. This is a known anthrax risk area and disease was mainly in domestic herbivores although 11 deer died in an adjacent wildlife area (Fasanella et al. 2010). Both this and the outbreak in Texas had very wet Springs followed by hot dry Summers, which were said to have predisposed outbreaks.

The United Kingdom has an exceptionally low rate of anthrax; nearly all cases since 1981 have been associated with imported materials (Public Health England 2014). Historic anthrax risk areas in the United Kingdom often have a history of leather working. No cases have been reported in deer.