An Exotic Tick Is Turning Up In Some Parts of the U.S. Here ’s What to Know

A tick that can cause “massive infestations” is spreading across parts of the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns. The Asian longhorned tick is not typically seen in the Western Hemisphere. Nonetheless, the pest has been found on people and animals in multiple U.S. states over the past year, the CDC says. The emergence of this new type of tick to the U.S. comes as ticks are becoming more widespread; diseases spread by tick, mosquito and flea bites tripled from 2004 to 2016, the agency reported in May. “The full public health and agricultural impact of this tick discovery and spread is unknown,” said Ben Beard, deputy director of the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, in a statement. “In other parts of the world, the Asian longhorned tick can transmit many types of pathogens common in the United States. We are concerned that this tick, which can cause massive infestations on animals, on people, and in the environment, is spreading in the United States.” Here’s what to know about the Asian longhorned tick. What is the Asian longhorned tick? The Asian longhorned tick, also known as Haemaphysalis longicornis, is native to Eastern Asia and has also become common in countries including Australia and New Zealand. It often plagues livestock, namely cattle, and a single animal can carry hundreds or thousands of the ticks at a time. The CDC says a single female tick can produce up to 2,000 eggs at once,...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthytime public health Source Type: news