Overview

• KDHE identified the tick from a veterinary-submitted sample taken from a dog, and the USDA confirmed the species.
• The detection adds Kansas to the 21 U.S. states where the Asian longhorned tick has been documented, according to the USDA.
• The tick reproduces without mating, enabling rapid population growth and severe infestations on animals.
• Officials warn of livestock risks, including transmission of Theileria orientalis Ikeda that causes bovine theileriosis and can lead to severe anemia or death in cattle.
• Human disease transmission remains uncertain, though ticks elsewhere carried Bourbon virus and ehrlichiosis, and agencies are urging tick-bite prevention for people and pets.