Latest news with #ConnecticutAgriculturalExperimentStation
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Potentially deadly bacteria found in invasive tick for first time in US
As outdoor activities begin to ramp up ahead of summer, Connecticut officials announced Tuesday that they confirmed the first US case of the invasive longhorned tick carrying Ehrlichia chaffeensis, a bacteria capable of causing a potentially deadly disease. Known as human monocytic ehrlichiosis, or HME, the disease initially causes symptoms such as sudden high fever, chills and fatigue a few weeks after an infection, according to officials with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES). Advertisement Symptoms may progress to include symptoms such as nausea, confusion and, ultimately, kidney failure and respiratory complications. HME is usually spread by the lone star tick, which is native to the US and found throughout most of the eastern, southeastern, and south-central parts of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. However, the recent case of a tick carrying Ehrlichia chaffeensis, the bacteria behind HME, in Connecticut involved the longhorned tick, a tick species native to eastern Asia. With the rise of outdoor activities, Connecticut officials announced that they have the first confirmed US case of the invasive longhorned tick carrying Ehrlichia chaffeensis. shishiga – Advertisement This species' role in carrying the bacteria and spreading HME is significant because the invasive species is expected to spread throughout the eastern US, officials said. They noted that this is due to the animal's ability to reproduce without a male, along with its unrestrictive feeding. 'The first fully engorged human-parasitizing longhorned tick specimen was recorded by the CAES in 2018 from Fairfield, Connecticut, and the first populations of the tick were reported from this county in 2020,' said Dr. Goudarz Molaei, director of the CAES Passive Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Program. Known as human monocytic ehrlichiosis, or HME, the disease can be potentially deadly, with symptoms such as high fever, chills and fatigue being present if affected by the tick. Mayo Clinic Advertisement 'Since then, populations of longhorned ticks have expanded into a number of towns in Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Additionally, individual tick specimens have been collected from New London and other counties.' Officials warned of the species' ability to expand their geographic range and their potential to transmit pathogens that could threaten the health of humans, pets and other animals. They noted that the longhorned tick has been found to transmit a variety of pathogens in the US, such as those that cause Lyme disease.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
First longhorned tick infected with life-threatening bacterium found in Fairfield County
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Tuesday says they've found the first evidence of the invasive longhorned tick infected with the potentially life-threatening Ehrlichia chaffeensis in the United States. The tick was found in Fairfield County, a member of CAES said. Invasive ticks spread across more Connecticut counties According to CAES, Ehrlichia chaffeensis is a Gram-negative bacterium that mostly spreads through the lone star tick. It causes human monocytic ehrichiosis, which can start with a sudden high fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, and fatigue within the first weeks of infection. Symptoms may also progress to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss or confusion. If its not treated quickly, HME can led to life-threatening symptoms like kidney failure and respiratory insufficiency, CAES said. Tick season 2025: What to know as disease risk rises Dr. Goudarz Molaei, a research scientist and medical entomologist who also directs the CAES Passive Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Program (aka Tick Testing Laboratory) said: 'The first fully engorged human-parasitizing longhorned tick specimen was recorded by the CAES in 2018 from Fairfield, Connecticut, and the first populations of the tick were reported from this county in 2020. Since then, populations of longhorned ticks have expanded into a number of towns in Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Additionally, individual tick specimens have been collected from New London and other counties.' Native to eastern Asia, the longhorned tick thrives in warm and humid environments, CAES said. The longhorned tick has spread to 21 states since first discovered in the United States in 2017. It's primarily found in the east and northeast. It poses a serious danger to domestic and wild animals, especially livestock as it transmits a wide variety of pathogens, including ones that cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and more. However, CAES said it's unknown if the tick can spready many of those disease agents. More information can be found on the Connecticut government website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
CT officials issue urgent plea for help stopping ‘a plague' in state waterways. Here's why and how.
One of the state's most invasive aquatic plants is causing massive damage to the Connecticut River and officials don't want boaters and others to continue the spread of the environmental and economic scourge. That message was loud and clear as Connecticut heads into Memorial Day weekend, both a time to honor the nation's fallen and the traditional beginning of the summer season, which includes many boats in the state's waters. Boats must be cleared of the plant to stop its spread, officials said. Boats can spread hydrilla, the aquatic invasive species from Asia called the 'most noxious, invasive' plant ever, and it is well-known for its ability to quickly propagate and take over aquatic ecosystems. Officials fear it will damage the state's $5.5 billion recreational economy. The plant significantly reduces water quality where it lives and spreads. By blocking sunlight, it encourages the growth of harmful algae, which can further reduce oxygen levels and produce toxins harmful to fish, wildlife, and even humans. It has caused massive damage to parts of the Connecticut River already and has been seen in other waterways. The plant also is one of Connecticut's most costly and destructive invasive plants, and is projected to continue its spread across the Connecticut River, with the loss of federal funding to combat the highly invasive plant, officials said. 'It's an ugly and hideous looking plant,' U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Friday at Riverside Park in Hartford. 'This is probably the most invasive aquatic plant in the world and it has invaded Connecticut. It is a plague on the Connecticut River but also on our lakes, streams, coves, and tidal basins. It can survive and thrive almost anywhere because it multiplies hideously fast.' For nearly a decade, state and federal scientists have studied the aquatic weed, looking for its vulnerabilities and why it has spread so successfully across 200 miles of the river and its tributaries in Connecticut. Hydrilla was first spotted in Connecticut in 2016 in Glastonbury, officials said. Last year, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began limited spraying of a herbicide that showed enormous potential for rooting out the invasive plant. Several areas of the Connecticut River that have been choked for years with hydrilla were cleared within days, according to officials. But efforts to continue clearing out the river of hydrilla are now in jeopardy, officials said. Nearly $5 million in federal funds that were allocated for ongoing hydrilla removal in the Connecticut River this year have been cut by Congress, according to Blumenthal's office. Based on last summer's successful herbicide application trials, the Army Corps planned to expand testing and increase the number of herbicide applications to about 16 locations in coming months, officials said. But the funding was removed by a continuing congressional budget resolution earlier this spring and much of what remained is impounded by the White House budget office, according to previous reporting. 'The problem is that this year for the first time the Army Corps of Engineers budget is down 44%,' Blumenthal said. 'But the good news is, I believe, we have bipartisan support for a $5.5 million dollar fund in 2026 to combat hydrilla. Because it is such a threat to not just the Connecticut River, but to all the lakes and streams where boaters may go.' Blumenthal was flanked by several state officials at Friday, including Michael Zaleski, president and CEO of Riverfront Recapture; Rhea Drozdenko, River Steward, Connecticut River Conservancy; Dr. Jason White, director of the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station; Margot Burns, Senior Environmental Planner at RiverCOG; and Justin Davis, Acting Deputy Director of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 'We're at the start of Memorial Day weekend and that also starts the unofficial beginning of boating season in Connecticut,' Davis said. 'We here at CT DEEP encourage anyone fortunate enough to have a boat, to get out and have fun this summer, on the beautiful waterways of Connecticut. But to also do so in a safe and responsible manner and part of that is making sure you're not contributing to the spread of invasive species like hydrilla.' Davis said that boaters should follow state protocols and always inspect their boats for any vegetation before entering the water. Upon leaving the water, boaters should drain all the water out of their boat and let it fully dry. DEEP officials said they recommend letting a boat dry for five days before re-entering a body of water. 'This is a hugely important issue as there is a major economic impact,' Davis said. 'We have a $5.5 billion dollar recreation economy in Connecticut and fishing and boating is the biggest part of that economy. Hydrilla is a major threat to our waterways and Connecticut's recreation economy.' Scientists for years have studied hydrilla; until very recently believed to be confined to southern states, where it has clogged ponds and blocked rivers for decades. In 2016, amateur botanists found what they considered an odd weed growing in a river spur called Keeney Cove in Glastonbury. Not only was the weed found to be hydrilla, but DNA testing revealed it to be a genetically unique strain not known elsewhere. In the years since, hydrilla has spread explosively to cover more than 1,000 acres of river and tributaries and jump, carried by the boats and trailers of anglers, to many of the state's lakes and ponds. Edmund H. Mahony contributed to this story. Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mansfield Agriculture Committee to host farmers at forum Thursday
MANSFIELD — The Town of Mansfield's Agriculture Committee will host the annual Farmers Forum, where local farmers and legislators will share their plans and challenges. The forum will be held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Lenard Hall, 450 S. Eagleville Road, Mansfield. The forum will feature keynote speaker Dr. Kimberly Stoner, formerly of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and now the director of Advocacy for the Northeast Organic Farming Association.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Invasive tick spreads across more Connecticut counties
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Of the thousands of ticks collected across Connecticut last year, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station says blacklegged ticks- also known as deer ticks- were the most common. However, two emerging species- lone star ticks and long horned ticks- were found in Fairfield, New London, Middlesex, and New Haven counties. In 2019, they were only detected in two counties- New London and Fairfield. New tick disease found in Connecticut The Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases at CAES released their findings on Monday, after more than 4,000 ticks were collected from 40 publicly-accessible locations across the state during the spring, summer and fall months of 2024. 'The spread of lone star and longhorned ticks in Connecticut, along with increasing blacklegged tick populations, highlights the importance of continued tick surveillance,' Dr. Megan Linske, vector ecologist specializing in Tick-Host-Habitat Dynamics at CAES said. 'Residents should take routine precautions and check for ticks after being outdoors.' The ticks were tested for five human diseasecausing pathogens, including anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), babesia microti (babesiosis), borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), borrelia miyamotoi (hard tick relapsing fever), and Powassan virus (powassan encephalitis). Connecticut sees record high volume of ticks amid rising concerns New London County reported the highest average adult blacklegged tick density, with 83 per acre. The county also saw the highest average nymphal blacklegged tick density at 25 per acre. The highest adult female infection prevalence was found in Litchfield County- at 65%- and the highest nymphal infection prevalence was found in Fairfield County- at 41%. To reduce the risk of exposure to tick bites, residents are urged to: Stay on established trails and avoid bushy or wooded areas. Conduct routine tick checks after outdoor activities. Wear long sleeves, pants, and light-colored, tightly woven clothing. Tuck pant legs into socks when hiking in tick habitat. Wear permethrin-treated clothing to repel and kill ticks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
