Source: KVOE
Kansas agricultural officials are warning ranchers about Theileria orientalis ikeda, a tick-borne illness affecting cattle. Transmitted by the Asian Longhorned tick, theileria resembles anaplasmosis but can infect calves, posing a broader threat. Dr. Greg Hanzlicek of the Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory says the disease cannot be effectively treated with antibiotics, as it’s caused by a protozoa, not bacteria.
Instead, infected animals must typically recover on their own. Since 2017, theileria has been confirmed in nearly 10 herds in eastern Kansas, with infected cattle having been imported from the eastern U.S. Although the disease is present in Kansas, the tick responsible hasn’t yet been detected there, though it has been confirmed in nearby states like Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Originally from Asia, the Asian Longhorned tick can also transmit serious human illnesses, including thrombocytopenia syndrome and Japanese spotted fever. Ranchers are urged to be vigilant and avoid inadvertently spreading the pathogen between herds.