For the first time, Asian longhorned ticks have been detected in Illinois, making Illinois the 20th state to detect the tick within its borders. An Asian longhorned tick is a small, light brown tick often described as being smaller than a sesame seed. Dr. Teresa Steckler, an Illinois Extension Specialist in commercial agriculture, says these ticks can cause disease in cattle called theileria.
“That’s the Ikeda genotype,” explains Steckler. This particular genotype can be fatal to livestock, and it presents itself clinically, like anaplasmosis. So, when you see a cow having anaplasmosis symptoms, theileria would not necessarily be their first thought.”
While the symptoms for theilerisa and anaplasmosis are similar, experts say a difference is that anaplasmosis is rarely seen in cattle under two years old, whereas theileria can be found in both calves and adults.
Photo Credit: Illinois Beef Association
