Species of tick never seen in Michigan discovered at state park -- What to know

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A species of tick never before seen in Michigan that can spread diseases to both humans and animals has been confirmed in the state.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) said Friday that the Asian longhorned tick (ALHT) was detected during routine tick surveillance at Grand Mere State Park in Berrien County.

The backstory:

Two tick nymphs found by monitors at Calvin University were sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories on Wednesday, who confirmed that they were ALHT.

"Calvin research students have been studying the ecology and distribution of ticks in West Michigan since 2020. The students worked with our close partners at Michigan State University and collaborating state agencies to initially identify these ticks as nymphal longhorned ticks," said William Miller, Ph.D., CWB (Certified Wildlife Biologist), and Assistant Professor of Biology at Calvin University. "Since the longhorned tick is an agricultural pest of concern, our research team is continuing surveillance in the region to identify the potential distribution of the species, which will help to define the risk it poses to livestock."

Native to Asia, this species of tick was first detected in the United States in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to 21 other states in the eastern part of the country, including Indiana and Ohio.

Why you should care:

According to MDARD, the tick is not known to spread Lyme disease, but, based on lab studies, may be able to pass on other tick-borne illnesses to both humans and animals, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, heartland virus, and Powassan virus.

All mammals and birds can be affected, but the impact on cattle is especially concerning, MDARD said.

ALHTs collected in other parts of the country have been found to carry Theileria orientalis, one of the pathogens that cause bovine theileriosis, a potentially deadly illness that can infect cattle.

The ticks have been found on people, domestic animals such as sheep, goats, dogs, cats, horses, cattle, and chickens, and wildlife.

Female ALHTs can reproduce without mating and lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time. MDARD said these ticks have been known to form large infestations on one animal, causing stress and reducing its growth and production. A severe infestation can even kill an animal due to blood loss.

What you can do:

MDARD recommends that animal owners take steps to protect them. This includes:

• Having regular tick treatments. Contact your veterinarian for more information about tick prevention for your animals.
• Performing a tick check. Look around their eyes, ears, limbs, tail, and toes for any ticks. If a tick is found, safely remove it as quickly as possible.
• Practicing tick prevention on pastures and lawns. Keep tall grass trimmed back along buildings and property edges, mow lawns, remove brush and leaf litter, and create mulch barriers to help make spaces tick safe.
• Sending in ticks for identification. If you find an unusual-looking tick and/or think you have found on ALHT, please send it in to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Instructions can be found on Michigan’s Emerging Diseases website.

"By knowing this species of tick is in our state, we will increase our educational outreach to producers, animal owners, and animal health professionals so we can all do our part to safeguard animal and public health," said State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM.

What to look for:

ALHTs are light brown, and can easily be mistaken for other tick species. 

While the adult female grows to the size of a pea when full of blood, other stages of the tick are very small, about the size of a sesame seed or even smaller.

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