Latest news with #AsianLonghornedTicks
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Invasive tick that can be deadly for cattle causing concerns among researchers
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — A heads up for cattle producers: there's a deadly tick in the United States, and researchers at Oklahoma State University are concerned. 'These ticks can be so high on a single cow that they can actually result in so much blood loss that the animal can die from that,' Dr. Jonathan Cammack, Assistant Professor at OSU and State Extension Specialist for Livestock, Entomology, and Parasitology, told Nexstar's KFOR. Dr. Cammack said the Asian Longhorned Tick, also known ALT, is native to East Asia. It was first seen in the U.S. a decade ago and has since been detected in more than a dozen states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Lyme-disease isn't the only tick-borne threat. Doctors warn these other diseases are spreading It was discovered in Oklahoma last year on cattle in Craig County. 'It's not going to have that bright white spot on it like a lone star [tick]. And they're also going to be very small, about half the size of the normal tick that we're usually expecting to see at this time of year,' said Dr. Cammack. They're also concerned with how fast the ticks can reproduce. 'They can reproduce asexually, so they don't have that added challenge of locating a mate in the environment,' said Dr. Cammack. That means a female can lay up to 2,500 eggs on one animal, which can then consume enough blood to be deadly. Now, they're hoping research can help with ideas to slow or stop the spread. 'There's a project going on at the vet school where they're collecting ticks that are suspected to be Asian Longhorned Ticks, and then they're testing them for the presence of this pathogen,' said Dr. Cammack. The pathogen is the Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype, which can be detrimental to cattle. This year, the team is looking for new cases of the tick, and they hope Oklahoma ranchers will help them with surveillance. Dr. Cammack recommends that animals are checked regularly — maybe not daily, but more than once a year — for the tick. If you see it on your cattle, it's recommended that you call your local veterinarian. If you live in an area where the tick has become established, there may be other steps you're advised to take. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
Invasive tick that can be deadly for cattle causing concerns among researchers
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — A heads up for cattle producers: there's a deadly tick in the United States, and researchers at Oklahoma State University are concerned. 'These ticks can be so high on a single cow that they can actually result in so much blood loss that the animal can die from that,' Dr. Jonathan Cammack, Assistant Professor at OSU and State Extension Specialist for Livestock, Entomology, and Parasitology, told Nexstar's KFOR. Dr. Cammack said the Asian Longhorned Tick, also known ALT, is native to East Asia. It was first seen in the U.S. a decade ago and has since been detected in more than a dozen states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. It was discovered in Oklahoma last year on cattle in Craig County. 'It's not going to have that bright white spot on it like a lone star [tick]. And they're also going to be very small, about half the size of the normal tick that we're usually expecting to see at this time of year,' said Dr. Cammack. They're also concerned with how fast the ticks can reproduce. 'They can reproduce asexually, so they don't have that added challenge of locating a mate in the environment,' said Dr. Cammack. That means a female can lay up to 2,500 eggs on one animal, which can then consume enough blood to be deadly. Now, they're hoping research can help with ideas to slow or stop the spread. 'There's a project going on at the vet school where they're collecting ticks that are suspected to be Asian Longhorned Ticks, and then they're testing them for the presence of this pathogen,' said Dr. Cammack. The pathogen is the Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype, which can be detrimental to cattle. This year, the team is looking for new cases of the tick, and they hope Oklahoma ranchers will help them with surveillance. Dr. Cammack recommends that animals are checked regularly — maybe not daily, but more than once a year — for the tick. If you see it on your cattle, it's recommended that you call your local veterinarian. If you live in an area where the tick has become established, there may be other steps you're advised to take.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
OSU researching Asian Longhorned Tick that can be deadly for cattle
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — A heads up for cattle producers, there's a deadly tick in the United States, and researchers at Oklahoma State University are concerned. Last year, a case was found in the Eastern part of the state. 'These ticks can be so high on a single cow that they can actually result in so much blood loss that the animal can die from that,' said Dr. Jonathan Cammack, Assistant Professor at OSU and State Extension Specialist for Livestock, Entomology, and Parasitology. Dr. Jonathan Cammack said the Asian Longhorned Tick, also known ALT is native to East Asia. It was first seen in the U.S. a decade ago, and in Oklahoma last year when it was discovered on cattle in Craig County. LOCAL NEWS: Neighbors blame school construction for ongoing drainage crisis 'It's not going to have that bright white spot on it like a lone star. And they're also going to be very small, about half the size of the normal tick that we're usually expecting to see at this time of year,' said Dr. Cammack. They're also concerned with how fast the ticks can reproduce. 'They can reproduce asexually so they don't have that added challenge of locating a mate in the environment,' said Dr. Cammack. Which means a female can lay up to 2,500 eggs on one animal and that can consume enough blood to be deadly. Now, they're hoping research can help with ideas to slow or stop the spread. 'There's a project going on at the vet school where they're collecting ticks that are suspected to be Asian Longhorned Ticks, and then they're testing them for the presence of this pathogen,' said Dr. Cammack. The pathogen they're testing for is the Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype. This year, the team is looking for new cases of the tick, and they hope ranchers will help them with surveillance. LOCAL NEWS: 'He just stabbed me': New video shows Edmond officer stabbed during traffic stop 'It's just kind of, you know, being in tune with your animals, checking on them regularly, you know, not like you're saying every day, but you know, not also once a year either,' said Dr. Cammack. While they haven't seen any new cases in our state so far this year, the tick and pathogen are present in Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. If you see it on your cattle, call your local veterinarian or a local OSU Extension office so they can collect the ticks and get them tested. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
