A species of tick native to Asia is spreading across the United States, and Oklahoma reported its first sighting this week.
The Sooner State is the 20th to confirm the presence of the Asian longhorned tick, which can transmit deadly diseases to humans and livestock through its bites.
The species carries a virus that kills 15 percent of its victims in Asia, but only cow deaths have been reported in the United States since the tick arrived in 2017.
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A species of tick native to Asia is spreading across the United States, and Oklahoma reported its first sighting this week.
Oklahoma officials announced the first sighting of the Asian longhorned tick in Mayes County on Monday.
Although this is the first Asian longhorned tick reported in Oklahoma, there are likely more, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture officials said.
This species can reproduce parthenogenetically, meaning that a female can produce thousands of offspring without the need for a male.
Thus, it only takes one tick to establish an expanding population in a new area.
The first longhorned tick in the U.S. was found seven years ago in New Jersey, but it has since invaded parts of New York, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia and other states..
The Asian longhorned tick is native to eastern China, Japan, the Russian Far East and Korea.
Experts aren’t exactly sure how it got to the U.S., but possible routes of entry include the importation of domestic pets, horses or livestock, or people unknowingly carrying the tick back into 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, “One thing we discovered is how easily pets, especially dogs, can accidentally help ticks cross international and state borders.”
The Sooner State is the 20th to confirm the presence of the Asian longhorned tick, which can transmit deadly human diseases with its bites.
To date, no humans have died from the bite of an Asian longhorned tick in the United States.
But these tiny disease vectors killed several cows in Ohio in 2023.
Now that ticks have spread to Oklahoma, state officials are urging livestock owners to keep a close eye on their animals.
But even though they primarily affect livestock, Asian longhorned ticks have the potential to amplify tick-borne diseases by spreading pathogens to other ticks that commonly pose threats to humans, according to Cornell University.
In Oklahoma and other eastern states where the Asian longhorned tick is present, authorities encourage people to report bites or sightings of these ticks.
Their preferred habitats are grasslands and meadows. Be sure to check for ticks after walking in these areas, especially during the warm summer months.
Experts also recommend protecting pets and livestock from tick bites by treating them regularly with anti-tick medications, which should be effective against Asian longhorned ticks.
Adult female long-horned tick climbing a blade of grass.
If you find an Asian longhorned tick attached to you 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, a gum wrapper covered in aluminum foil, or a plastic sandwich bag as a protective barrier.
Once you grab the tick, pull straight up with steady, even pressure. Do not twist the tick as you pull.
After removing it, wash the affected area with soap and water and disinfect the bite with a topical antiseptic.
Whatever you do, don’t throw away the tick. Place it in a resealable plastic bag and seal it. That way, you can take it to your doctor or vet for identification.