Asian Long-Horned Tick Tests Positive for Bourbon Virus

Dr. Katherine McNamara, Vermont Assistant State Veterinarian shared the following information with us:

"The invasive tick species Asian Long-Horned Tick has turned up a field-collected specimen positive for Bourbon virus. The significance of this finding is that it was not previously known if the ALHT could acquire enzootic pathogens in the US (vs just pathogens native to its original area in Asia). This shows that a wild-caught ALHT can pick up and vector at least one of the pathogens of concern in the US, and I believe it’ll be a matter of time before other pathogens are found in them. They are a highly successful invasive species that can reproduce without males."

For more information from the CDC, click here.

The North Carolina Institute of Medicine has published information on this disease in humans.

Older information from the CDC on bourbon virus can be found here.