The Asian longhorned tick is just the latest species to catch her attention. "With this tick, it's always good to know there are new species coming in and to be aware," she said. "I'm pleased to see the CDC is studying it. At this point, we're not seeing it transmitting anything that would affect humans." About the longhorned tick State Agriculture and Health Department officials said it can be hard to distinguish the Asian longhorned tick from other tick species, such as the rabbit tick. Its distinctive horns may not be visible without a microscope. In the U.S, the longhorned tick may not impact humans but it could be a great threat to livestock, Powell said. Female ticks can reproduce and lay as many as 2,000 eggs after feeding on a host. Gorging on a host to that degree could mean a lot of blood loss for a cow or another animals, she said. Cattle, pets, small mammals, birds and humans could all serve as potential hosts. "At this point, we don't see it as a threat to people," Powell said. "It is a threat to livestock." In China, the tick is noteworthy for carrying severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome or SFTS. The virus has a case fatality rate between 10 and 30 percent, according to a CDC study. Powell said the tick's disease-carrying capacity in the U.S. could evolve over time, but that remains to be seen. It's unclear how the tick got here in the first place, she added. U.S. researchers have their hands on enough of the longhorned ticks that they can study them in a lab to determine what kinds of diseases they may be able to transmit in the U.S. "We'll see if it actually transmits anything we have here," she said. "Knowledge is the most important thing when there's a new species that we have to evaluate." Prevention While the longhorned tick may not yet have a disease profile in the U.S., it still provides a good chance to talk about prevention, Powell said. More patients are developing health-related problems that stem from tick bites. Lyme disease and Babesia are both on the rise in the region, she said. Using insect repellent is a good move for prevention, she said. Wearing long sleeves and pants when heading into a wooded area makes sense, too. Lyme-carrying ticks can't transmit the disease to humans unless they are attached for more than 24 hours, Powell said. That's why it's a good idea to do a tick check for yourself, your children and your pets when you come in from the outdoors. "It's not a couple hours," she said of developing Lyme disase from a tick bite. "It's over 24 hours. If you bring your children inside, make sure they don't have any ticks." The Asian longhorned tick is just the latest invasive species to arrive in Pennsylvania. The spotted lanternfly, which made its arrival in Berks in 2014, is another example. With the ease of transportation, the world can feel smaller than ever. Powell said she wouldn't be surprised if other species make their way to the U.S. "Every year we have a new organism coming through," she said. Source - http://www.readingeagle.com