By Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Kansas officials issued a public notice after testing confirmed the invasive Asian longhorned tick was identified in Franklin County and posed an emerging threat to animal and human health.
It was the first known detection in Kansas of the prolific tick, which afflicts wildlife, pets and livestock. The tick is a hazard for cattle as it infects red and white blood cells and causes weakness, fever, loss of appetite or death.
The reddish-brown tick is known to carry a variety of pathogens and has proven efficient at establishing populations in new areas due to its ability to reproduce without mating. In Asia, the tick has transmitted a virus causing human hemorrhagic fever.
“Right now, our concern is mainly for cattle,” said Gregg Hanzlicek, a Kansas State University professor and associate director of the Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. “But like any tick, people should take precautions: wear long sleeves, use insect repellent and check for ticks after being in grassy or wooded areas.”
He said the report didn’t mean Kansas had a widespread population of the tick, but the public should be aware of the insect and diseases they carry.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said laboratory analysis identified the tick after it was found on a dog in Franklin County.
“We’re still learning about this tick and the ecologic role that it currently plays and may play in the future in terms of disease transmission to humans,” said Erin Petro, KDHE’s public health veterinarian. “While the human health implications are uncertain, this tickhas serious implications for animal health.”
The Asian longhorned tick was initially found in 2017 in New Jersey, then spread westward to more than 20 states. Kansas was the most recent documented location.
Kansas animal health commissioner Justin Smith, of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, said the agency had monitored migration of the tick since it was confirmed in neighboring states.
“Now that it has been identified in Kansas, we have been in contact with accredited veterinarians across the state to remind them to be alert for this tick and to ensure they understand the risks,” Smith said.
In 2024, KDHE piloted a program to create a tick surveillance network. Participating veterinary clinics submit tick samples from animals in their care to KDHE. One of these partners submitted the sample identified as the Asian longhorned tick by KDHE and confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
