Kansas Officials Warn of Invasive Asian Longhorned Tick
Kansas health and agriculture officials have issued a public notice after confirming the presence of the invasive Asian longhorned tick in Franklin County.
The tick poses an emerging threat to animal and human health, and this is the first known detection in Kansas. It can afflict wildlife, pets, and livestock, and is particularly hazardous for cattle, causing infection of red and white blood cells, weakness, fever, loss of appetite, or death.
The Asian longhorned tick is known to carry a variety of pathogens and can reproduce without mating, making it efficient at establishing populations in new areas. In Asia, it has been known to transmit a virus that causes human hemorrhagic fever.
The tick has been identified as a hazard due to its ability to infect and cause disease in animals and humans.
- First known detection in Kansas
- Poses a threat to animal and human health
- Can carry a variety of pathogens
- Can reproduce without mating
Author's summary: Kansas officials warn of invasive tick threat.