Tick-borne disease found in cattle imported to Kansas 

A new red blood cell parasite, Theileria orientalis Ikeda, associated with the invasive Asian longhorned tick has been detected in Kansas. This parasite causes a disease called theileria, also called bovine infectious anemia.  

When this parasite gets into the bloodstream, it destroys so many red blood cells that the animal becomes anemic. The reduction in red blood cells prevents the blood from carrying oxygen to the rest of the body. 

This disease is usually spread through contaminated needles and insects, primarily the ALHT. This tick, also known by its scientific name, Haemaphysalis longicornis, originated in Eastern Asia and was most likely introduced to the United States in 2010, but was only confirmed in 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It has mainly been found in the eastern U.S. and efforts have been made to slow its spread to other areas.  

Photo of an adult female Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, on a blade of grass. (Photo courtesy James Gathany via the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Multiple sources have reported that the Kansas cattle infected with Theileria orientalis Ikeda were purchased from Virginia and imported to the Sunflower State for feeding. Although the ALHT has been found in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, so far it has not been located within Kansas.  

Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is advising cattle producers to be cautious when importing cattle from other states and familiarize themselves with the symptoms of bovine infectious anemia in order to catch the disease early and prevent or slow its spread throughout the state.  

Symptoms of therileriosis include anemia, loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, reduced milk production, difficulty breathing, yellowing of the mucous membranes, foamy nasal discharge, abortion, and sudden death. This is no vaccine for therileriosis, but most animals can recover from it. Animals that recuperate will most likely become carriers of the disease and can infect other cattle. Therileriosis can be fatal in livestock. Pregnant heifers, calves and stressed animals are the more susceptible to the disease.  

“The environmental conditions in eastern Kansas are suitable for the Asian longhorned tick,” said Gregg Hanzlicek, KSVDL associate director and professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology. “If it’s not here already, this tick will likely be in Kansas in the near future, and with the tick comes theileria.” 

According to USDA, the ALHT is light brown in color and adult female ticks grows to the size of a pea when full of blood. Male ticks are rare. Other stages of the tick are very small, about the size of a sesame seed or even smaller. Hanzlicek said producers who notice a tick on their livestock that cannot be identified, they should collect it and send it to the diagnostic lab to make sure it is not an ALHT.  

To learn more therileriosis and testing information, visit www.ksvdl.org. Producers can also contact KSVDL client care at 866-512-5650 if they need more assistance. 

Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].