It may be new to you, but the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma Americanum) has actually been in North America going back to the late 1700’s. Lone Star ticks are the main human-biting ticks in southeastern and southcentral regions of the United States, accounting for over 90% of tick bites in these areas. While you may be thinking that these ticks do not apply to us here in the Midwest, they have been expanding north & west. During our tick surveillance within our community, we do typically find a few of these ticks each year!
Lone Star ticks are easily recognized by the single white dot in the center of their brown body. Lone Star ticks do not transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease; however, they do transmit bacteria for other diseases (Ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus disease, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Bourbon virus disease, and Tularemia). Unlike Lyme disease which is typically transmitted after a deer tick bite that has been attached for over 24 hours, Ehrlichia can be transmitted within as little as 6 hours!
Lone Star ticks are aggressive human biters, and their bite can also be associated with a red meat allergy (alpha-gal syndrome). This allergy can take 1-3 months for symptoms to appear after being bitten by a Lone Star tick. Early symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, indigestion and most commonly general itchiness. This allergic reaction is typically seen 2-6 hours after eating red meat (pork, beef or lamb – not poultry or fish). During peak grilling season in Wisconsin, this is a big deal!
It's important to remember proper tick prevention such as tucking in shirts and pants into socks and wearing permethrin-treated clothing and shoes when in tick habitat. Promptly remove attached tick(s) with a tweezer, pulling straight upward. Preventing tick bites & checking yourself and your family is the best way to also avoid the red meat allergy!
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