Longhorned Tick Found In Monmouth County

The longhorned tick, which can carry certain pathogens that cause illness in people, has been found in Monmouth County, the sixth county in New Jersey to have the tick, state officials announced Tuesday.

The tick was found on the floor of a home with a dog, but officials with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture said it is not known if the tick was ever attached to that dog, as the family recently had a visiting dog. Earlier findings have been confirmed in Bergen, Hunterdon, Union, Middlesex and Mercer counties.

Officials did not specify what part of Monmouth County the tick came from.

The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed it was the longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis).

Like deer ticks, the nymphs of the longhorned tick are very small (resembling tiny spiders) and can easily go unnoticed on animals and people. Longhorned ticks in other countries have been shown to spread diseases. They are known to infest a wide range of species including humans, dogs, cats, and livestock.

Some of the findings came as a result of a statewide "Tick Blitz," led by the Rutgers Center for Vector Biology in May and developed primarily by professionals from New Jersey’s county mosquito control programs.

"It is important for the public to continue to submit tick samples as this will allow us to identify new areas where this tick may be located," said Dr. Manoel Tamassia, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture State veterinarian. "Only with this knowledge, will we be able to make decisions at local and national levels."

Public parks where the longhorned tick has been found in New Jersey include Davidson Mill County Pond Park in Middlesex County, Overpeck County Park in Bergen County, and Watchung Reservation, Houdaille Quarry Park and Briant Park in Union County. There have also been confirmed findings of the longhorned tick in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Arkansas.

Various local, state, and federal animal health agencies, as well as Rutgers Center for Vector Biology, continue to work together to identify the range of the longhorned tick in New Jersey. Longhorned ticks that have been collected in New Jersey thus far have tested negative for various human and animal pathogens.

As part of New Jersey’s investigation, counties have set up drop off locations for the public to submit ticks they find on themselves, their pets, livestock or on wildlife. Information on these locations and how to submit a tick can be found on the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s website at http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/divisions/ah/

A phone line has also been established to leave a message if a tick is found and there is uncertainty about what the next steps are. If you need information about what to do if you find a tick on yourself, your pets or livestock call 1-833-NEWTICK (1-833-639-8425).

For more information on ticks and tick-borne disease visit:

• Rutgers Center for Vector Biology: http://vectorbio.rutgers.edu/news.php
• Rhode Island Tick Encounter site: http://www.tickencounter.org/
• or TickCheck Tick Testing: https://www.tickcheck.com/.

A nymph and adult Longhorned tick, photo courtesy of Rutgers University