Hunter Helsing

Scientists just discovered a new virus carried by a tick that's already living in more than two dozen US states. The virus hasn't been found here yet, but the tick has. It's called the Asian longhorned tick. Females lay 1,000 to 2,000 eggs without ever mating, so one tick hitching a ride can start a whole new population. A male tick has never been found in the US. It was first confirmed in New Jersey in 2017, probably arriving years earlier on an imported animal or a traveler. Now it's in 24 states from New York to Alabama and west to Missouri. On livestock, it shows up by the thousands. Cattle have died from the blood loss, and it spreads a parasite that causes deadly anemia in cows. It's less interested in people than our native ticks, and it hasn't been shown to make anyone sick in the US. But in Asia, it carries Dabie bandavirus, which kills up to 30% of the people it infects. It's smaller than a sesame seed, so do the basics. Use repellent. Stay in the middle of the trail. Check yourself, your kids and your dog after you come inside. Keep your pets on tick prevention, which works on this tick too. And if you find a tiny brown tick you can't identify, drop it in rubbing alcohol and send it to your state extension office. They'll want to have a look at it.