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 New Jersey was the first state to report the tick, found on a sheep
in August 2017, the study team writes in the CDC's Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report.
Since then, 45 counties or county equivalents in New Jersey and
eight other states - Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, North
Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia - have
reported finding the tick on a variety of hosts, including people,
wildlife, domestic animals and in environmental samples.
In contrast to most tick species, a single female Asian longhorned
tick can reproduce without mating. Females can make up to 2,000
eggs, according to the CDC. As a result, hundreds to thousands of
ticks can be found on a single animal, person or in the environment.
"We expect that, over time, this tick will be reported in new
areas," said lead study author Ben Beard, deputy director of CDC's
Division of Vector-Borne Diseases.
"It is not clear how the tick has spread, but finding it on numerous
species of both wild and domestic animals suggests that it can be
carried on these animals to new locations," Beard said by email.
The Asian longhorned tick has not been found to be infected with any
diseases in the U.S. In other parts of the world, however, it can
spread viruses, bacteria and parasites known to infect people and
animals, causing severe disease and death, Beard said.
Several of these pathogens are already found in the U.S., including
Anaplasma (which causes anaplasmosis), Babesia (babesiosis),
Borrelia (Lyme disease), Ehrlichia (ehrlichiosis), and Rickettsia
(Rocky Mountain spotted fever), Beard added.
The Asian longhorned tick has already been found in several states
that have problems with Lyme disease carried by ticks, Beard said.
In other parts of the world where the Asian longhorned tick is
common, it is a serious threat to livestock, according to the CDC.
In some regions of New Zealand and Australia, for example, this tick
can reduce production in dairy cattle by 25 percent.
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More information about Asian longhorned ticks is available on the
CDC website (https://bit.ly/2Pg2ec6).
Livestock producers and pet owners should work with their
veterinarians to maintain regular tick prevention and report any
unknown tick species to their local department of agriculture, the
CDC advises.
"At this time there is no evidence that the Asian longhorned tick
can transmit Lyme disease," said Dr. Bobbi Pritt, medical director
of the Clinical Parasitology laboratory at the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minnesota.
"However, a bacterium that is related to the Lyme disease-causing
bacterium has been found in these ticks in Asia, so it is
hypothetically possible," Pritt, who wasn't involved in the study,
said by email. "Therefore, it is always important to take steps to
avoid ticks when outdoors."
For a tick bite to spread a germ to a person or animal, the tick
must be infected and live long enough for the germ to multiply and
for the tick to bite a person or animal and spread the infection.
Insect repellents containing ingredients like DEET, picaridin and
oil of lemon eucalyptus may help prevent tick bites in humans.
Humans get the most protection by treating clothing and gear as well
as exposed skin.
People should also check their body and clothing for ticks, and
inspect any pets for ticks, after returning from potentially
tick-infested areas, including backyards, the CDC recommends.
Showering right away may help reduce the risk of tickborne diseases,
and putting clothes in the dryer on high heat for at least 10
minutes can also kill ticks on clothing.
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2RBQfrz Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report, online November 30, 2018.
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