Invasive tick found in Kansas can infect cattle for life

KANSAS (KSNT) – Kansas State University is monitoring an invasive tick that has appeared in the Sunflower State, which can make infected cattle carriers for life of a tick-borne parasite.

Earlier in October, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced they had confirmed the first known Asian longhorn tick in the state. The Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL) put out a warning in early 2025 regarding theileria orientalis Ikeda, the parasite transmitted by the tick, shortly after it was first detected in a group of cattle brought to Kansas from out of the state.

“This doesn’t mean we have a widespread or established population,” said Professor and Associate Director of the KSVDL Hanzlicek. “But it’s a reminder that these ticks, and the diseases they can carry, can move quickly. Awareness is key to limiting their impact.”

The Asian longhorn tick can infect red and white blood cells in cattle with a protozoa parasite, according to K-State. They can cause anemia, weakness and sometimes death in cattle. There is no antibiotic treatment, meaning cattle remain carriers for life.

“It’s not a bacteria, it’s not a virus—it’s a protozoa that remains in the animal’s system for life,” Hanzlicek explained.

The tick has a three-host life cycle and can transmit the parasite at each stage. Female ticks can reproduce without males and lay thousands of eggs, allowing them to breed rapidly. According to K-State, all of the Asian longhorn ticks found in the U.S. have been female. The ticks prefer humid areas, so there is hope that drier regions of Kansas will slow their spread.

“We don’t believe it will survive in the drier regions of western Kansas,” Hanzlicek said, “But eastern Kansas could provide suitable habitat.”

Symptoms of the parasite in cattle include: sluggishness, weakness and uncoordinated movement. K-State says that when blood cells are infected, the spleen removes them, leading to oxygen deprivation. Calves are especially vulnerable, with nearly 50% at risk of death in outbreaks. An enlarged spleen is a common finding in cattle that have died from the parasite.

“These ticks are amplifiers,” Hanzlicek said. “When they feed, their saliva contains high concentrations of the organism, and that’s how the infection spreads.”

The Asian longhorn tick mostly impacts animals, but it can bite humans and has transmitted diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever before.

“Right now, our concern is mainly for cattle,” Hanzlicek said. “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.”

Hanzlicek said there is no approved treatment for the parasite. But with good animal husbandry, shade, clean water and nutrition, most animals will recover.

“Treatment doesn’t change the disease course, but management can make a big difference,” Hanzlicek said.

Hanzlicek recommended regular tick inspections for cattle, particularly around the ears, udder and tailhead. Producers are encouraged to isolate cattle that come from regions where the tick has been found.

“This detection tells us the tick is here,” Hanzlicek said. “It doesn’t tell us how widespread it is or how long it’s been here. By reporting what we see and working together, we can stay ahead of this challenge.”

Ranchers who are worried their cattle may have the parasite can reach out to the KSVDL. You can learn more about ticks, including the Asian longhorned tick, on the CDC’s website by clicking here.

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