Asian Longhorned Tick Now in Missouri Can Be Dangerous to Humans
There's a new critter to be concerned about in Missouri. It's the Asian Longhorned Tick and it's been discovered in the northern part of the state. Medical experts say this tick can be very dangerous for both cattle and even humans.
This new report from Drover's this week states the Asian Longhorned Tick was found in northern Missouri in Linn County by University of Missouri researchers. This is concerning on many levels including the fact that last year they were only found in a few southern Missouri locations. That means they are on the move through the rest of the state potentially.
Mayo Clinic provided information about what makes the Asian Longhorned Tick such a problem. They state that they can reproduce extremely fast due to the fact that the females don't need a mate. They can reproduce all on their own. That means a large number can overwhelm cattle causing massive blood loss.
For humans, they can transmit a bacteria that can cause a severe fever resulting in a serious illness. This was a fever that was only found in Asia prior to this tick making its way to the states first discovered back in 2017.
How can you avoid Asian Longhorned Ticks?
Mayo Clinic recommends tick repellent for anyone who will be in areas where ticks might be prevalent. The same repellent that works for regular ticks found in Missouri should be effective for this variant also.
The CDC has a website dedicated to what Asian Longhorned Ticks look like and how to deal with them.