A species of tick native to Asia is spreading across the U.S., with Oklahoma reporting its first sighting this week.
The Sooner State is the 20th state to confirm the presence of the Asian longhorn tick, a tick that can transmit deadly diseases to humans and livestock through its bites.
The species carries a virus that kills 15 percent of victims in Asia, but in the U.S., only cow deaths have been reported since the tick’s arrival in 2017.
The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection has discovered that the parasitic arachnids in America carry Lyme disease, a life-threatening bacteria and virus that causes inflammation in the brain.
A species of tick native to Asia is spreading across the U.S. Oklahoma reported its first sighting this week
Oklahoma officials announced Monday that they had spotted the first Asian longhorn tick in Mayes County.
While this is the first Asian longhorn tick found in Oklahoma, it is likely more will follow, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture officials said.
This species can reproduce parthenogenetically, meaning that a single female can produce thousands of offspring without any male involved.
So it only takes one tick to establish a growing population in a new area.
The first longhorn tick in the US was found in New Jersey seven years ago, but has since spread to parts of New York, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia and other states..
The Asian longhorn tick is native to eastern China, Japan, the Russian Far East and Korea.
Experts aren’t sure exactly how the tick got to the U.S., but possible routes include importing pets, horses or livestock, or people unknowingly bringing the tick back to the U.S. after traveling abroad.
Dina M. Fonseca, professor and director of the Center for Vector Biology in the Department of Entomology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, said: ‘Among other things, we discovered how easily pets, especially dogs, can inadvertently help ticks cross international and state borders.’
The Sooner State is the 20th state to confirm the presence of the Asian longhorn tick, which can transmit deadly human diseases through its bites
So far, no people in the US have died from an Asian longhorn tick bite.
But these tiny pathogens killed several cattle in Ohio in 2023.
Now that the ticks have spread to Oklahoma, state officials are urging ranchers to keep a close eye on their animals.
But while Asian longhorn ticks primarily affect livestock, they can amplify tick-borne diseases by spreading pathogens to other ticks that typically pose a threat to humans, according to Cornell University.
In Oklahoma and other eastern states where Asian longhorn ticks are present, authorities encourage people to report bites or sightings of these ticks.
Their preferred habitats are meadows and grasslands. Check yourself for ticks after walking through these areas, especially during the warm summer months.
Experts also advise protecting pets and livestock from tick bites by regularly treating them with an anti-tick medication. This should be effective against the Asian longhorn hare.
Adult female longhorn tick climbs on a blade of grass.
If you find an Asian longhorn tick on yourself or your pet, remove it immediately.
You can do this by grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible with fine-tipped tweezers or your fingers. If you use your fingers, use a tissue, an aluminum foil-covered piece of gum, or a plastic sandwich bag as a protective barrier.
Once you grasp the tick, pull upwards with a steady, even pressure. Do not twist the tick while pulling.
After removing the bite, wash the affected area with soap and water and disinfect the bite with a topical antiseptic.
Whatever you do, don’t throw the tick away! Put it in a plastic ziplock bag and seal it tightly. That way you can take it to your doctor or vet for identification.