Ticks with cloning ability and carrying blood parasite may already be in Kansas, pose danger to cattle industry

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansas researchers are monitoring the spread of an invasive tick species that poses a threat to the state's cattle through a dangerous blood parasite.

Kansas cattle ranchers are facing a new threat to their herds this year in the form of a blood parasite that can weaken or even kill their cows. The parasite is being spread by a tick from Asia that has an ability to reproduce in large numbers thanks to an ability to duplicate itself in the wild.

27 News got in touch with Gregg Hanzlicek, professor and associate director of the Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL), this week to learn more about the dangers associated with the new cattle parasite on the rise in the Sunflower State. He said both the tick and the parasite it carries pose threats to humans, livestock and wildlife in Kansas.

The KSVDL put out a warning in early 2025 regarding theileria orientalis Ikeda shortly after it was first detected in a group of cattle brought to Kansas from out of the state. Hanzlicek said the blood parasite is now being reported in multiple herds across Kansas, with the majority in the southeastern part of the state. The KSVDL has yet to detect an instance of the parasite spreading on its own in Kansas.

"The important thing is, those are all animals that were purchased and brought to Kansas," Hanzlicek said.

The red blood cell parasite causes bovine theileria in cattle herds, impacting both adults and calves, according to the KSVDL. While the parasite, and the tick that carries it, have been in the eastern part of the nation for some time, they are now starting to be found parts of the Midwest.

"Arkansas and Missouri do have native herds with the disease," Hanzlicek said.

Hanzlicek said cattle with bovine theileria experience anemia which can manifest as pale mucus membranes, difficulty breathing and walking or even "sudden death." Other signs include lethargy and loss of appetite in infected cattle.

"It’s just another disease that producers are going to have to deal with," Hanzlicek said. "The downside is you’ll lose a few, there really isn’t any good treatment for it. It just has to run its course in animals that are infected with it."

Asian longhorn ticks are the primary carriers of the parasite, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Health officials first confirmed the presence of the ticks in the U.S. in 2017 and they have since spread to numerous other states.

The USDA reports the ticks have yet to be found in Kansas, but researchers like Hanzlicek fear they may already be in the state and have just remained undetected so far. The ticks have been found in Craig County, Oklahoma in 2024 just south of Labette County. The USDA also reports the ticks are in the Kansas City metro area in Clay County, Missouri.

"We don't want people to freak out about it, just be aware of it that it'll be here sooner or later," Hanzlicek said.

Hanzlicek said the ticks are a big pest due to a special ability they have called parthenogenesis which means that females can reproduce without the need of a male, essentially cloning themselves. He said females can create up to 4,000 eggs apiece and contaminate an area very quickly. However, he did include a silver lining for those who may be worried about encountering the tick in the wild.

"The good thing is this tick doesn't like to feed on humans," Hanzlicek said.

Asian longhorned ticks, while not targeting humans very often, can still transmit dangerous diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is still studying what diseases the ticks can pass on to humans and have determined they can carry bacteria like that which causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Hanzlicek said the tick will usually target animals like cattle or whitetail deer. Researchers like those at the KSVDL are trying to figure out if the parasite carried by Asian longhorned ticks can be transferred to other ticks that already call the state home, giving the parasite greater reach into central and western Kansas.

Ranchers who are worried their cattle may have the parasite are encouraged to reach out to the KSVDL. Hanzlicek also said ranchers should be vigilant when purchasing cattle from outside the state, as they may be carrying the ticks or the parasite. You can learn more about ticks, including the Asian longhorned tick, on the CDC's website by clicking here.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf