Perfect Storm Of New Ticks Causing Dangerous Dynamic In New York

Experts say a troubling new tick trend is unfolding across New York, and it's creating a situation they describe as a "perfect storm."

As the weather gets warmer, New Yorker officials are continuing to warn about ticks. Two new(sh) tick species are rapidly expanding their range in New York

New Ticks Impacting Hudson Valley, Upstate New York

CDC

While the native blacklegged (deer) tick continues to be an issues statewide, officials are issuing new warnings about two non-native species due to their unique threats to human health and local livestock.

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The Lone Star tick has popped up in the region over the last few years and can cause a potentially deadly reaction to red meat. There are also concerns about the longhorned tick which can lead to issues for livestock owners.

Lone Star Tick

CDC

The Lone Star Tick can cause severe lifelong allergic reactions to meat. The tick transmits the alpha-gal molecule to humans, leading to Alpha-Gal Syndrome.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome causes a delayed allergic reaction to red meat, beef, pork, lamb, and venison. This allergic reaction to meat comes several hours after eating meat, not after the tick bite.

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This tick species is now formally "established" in 16 upstate New York counties, including Ulster, Sullivan, and Albany. Hikers have documented heavy infestations at elevations as high as 3,000 feet in Windham

Asian Longhorned Tick

New York State Departments of Health

The Asian Longhorned Tick is native to eastern Asia, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand. It was the first invasive tick to reach America in 80 years.

It first appeared in New York in 2018. It's been confirmed to be found in the Hudson Valley and other parts of New York.

It reproduces asexually, allowing a single female to rapidly create massive swarms that overwhelm livestock. The are notoriously difficult to spot, often described as tiny, brown "specks of dust" only 2 to 3 millimeters long.

Perfect Storm Creating Dangerous Dynamic

CDC

Researchers from the Cary Institute of Ecosystems warn that overlapping populations of tick species, driven by a shared reliance on white-tailed deer hosts, significantly heighten the risk of pathogen transmission. This shared feeding dynamic enables the cross-infection of diseases, accelerating the spread of dangerous pathogens.

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