Exotic Tick Species Found In 3 NC Locations: CDC

NORTH CAROLINA — An exotic tick species native to eastern Asia has been confirmed in more American states — including in North Carolina — after first being discovered in New Jersey, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In North Carolina, the tick species has been located in Richmond, Rockland, and Westchester counties, according to the CDC.

The Asian longhorned tick, as it is commonly known, was first discovered in the U.S. on a sheep in New Jersey in August 2017. Since then, the CDC says the tick has been identified in other locations in New Jersey and in eight other states. Between August 2017 and September 2018, the tick also has been found in Virginia, West Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland and Arkansas. In total, there were 53 reports of the tick species being discovered.

Notably, the CDC says that the invasion of the tick species occurred years earlier.

“Most importantly, ticks collected from a deer in West Virginia in 2010 and a dog in New Jersey in 2013 were retrospectively identified as H. longicornis,” the agency said.

The tick is an important carrier of human and animal disease agents in areas where it exists, but the CDC said there is no evidence at the moment that it has transmitted pathogens to humans, domestic animals or wildlife in the United States. However, it is a potential carrier of a number of human and animal diseases in the country, the CDC warns.

“The presence of H. longicornis in the United States represents a new and emerging disease threat,” the CDC writes. “Characterization of the tick’s biology and ecology are needed, and surveillance efforts should include testing for potential indigenous and exotic pathogens.”

The surveillance effort did not include testing the ticks or hosts for pathogens, and no cases of illness in humans or other species have been reported. The agricultural effects of the species’ infestation is also not yet known.

But public health officials are keeping an eye on the spread of the longhorned tick, which is also known as the bush or cattle tick. Female ticks from this species are also able to produce offspring without mating, resulting in massive host infestations.

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Photo via CDC