1. Haemaphysalis Longicornis: potential Impacts to Equids in the United States
Angela Pelzel-McCluskey, DVM, ms
Equine epidemiologist
Strategy and policy
Usda-aphis-veterinary services
October 2018

2. Index Finding: Aug-Nov 2017 Hunterdon County, NJ
August 2017: sheep owner in NJ presents ticks to the county entomologist
Late October/Early November: sheep examined; heavy infestation with unusual ticks
Molecular ID by Rutgers then confirmed by NVSL to be Haemaphysalis longicornis
First detection in the U.S. outside of import quarantine

3. Haemaphysalis longicornis
Asian longhorned tick
3 host hard tick exotic to the U.S.
Originally from North East Asia then expanded into Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Rim countries
Prefers meadow areas where rain>5 cm/month
Survives harsh winters
Parthenogenic: female can reproduce in the absence of a male
Creates explosive mini populations

4. Hosts Primarily Cattle
But also: sheep, dogs, humans, yak, donkeys, hedgehogs, horses, pigs, ducks, turkeys, chickens, mynas, magpies, pheasants, budgerigar, thrush, skylark, kiwis, banded rails, sparrows, rabbits, goats, badgers, cats, deer, bears, foxes, raccoons, kangaroos, chipmunks, rats, mice, ferrets, stoats, weasels, brushtail opossums, wallaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, etc.
Additional US: coyotes, groundhogs, grey fox
Zheng et al 2011

5. H. longicornis Collection at NVSL
NVSL collection contains a dozen previous examples collected from from imported animals
Usually horses presented for entry from New Zealand or Australia

7. State
Species Found Infested
Date of Earliest Finding
Arkansas
Dog
May 2018
Connecticut
Environment
July 2018
New Jersey
Sheep, goat, horse, dog, deer, raccoon, opossum, groundhog
Dog
New York
Human, environment
Human – June 2018
Maryland
Deer
North Carolina
Opossum, human, dog
Opossum
Pennsylvania
Deer, human, environment
Deer – July 2018
Virginia
Cattle, horse, deer, goat, dog, environment
CO2 trap – March 2017
West Virginia
Cattle, dogs, deer, cat, coyote, environment
Deer – August 2010

8. Known pathogens: Anaplasma phagocytophilum Powassan virus
Anaplasma bovis
Borrelia spp.
Babesia ovata
Babesia major
Babesia gibsoni
Babesia bigemina and bovis
Ehrlichia chafeensis
Rickettsia japonica
Theileria equi
Theileria orientalis
Powassan virus
Khasan virus
Tick-borne encephalitis virus
Russian Spring-Summer Encephalitis Virus
Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia syndrome
Huaiyangshan virus hemorrhagic fever
Thogotoviruses (Thogoto virus, Bourbon virus)

9. Testing of H. longicornis collected from NJ:
RT-PCR negative at the CDC: Powassan, Bourbon, and Heartland virus
120 tick samples negative for:
Borrelia burgdorferi
Borrelia miyamotoi
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Babesia microti
Ehrlichia chafeensis
Ehrlichia ewingii
NJ infested sheep tested negative for:
Babesia bigemina
Babesia bovis
Theileria spp.
Rickettsia
Anaplasma marginale
Ehrlichia ruminatium
Coxiella burnetii
SFTS virus (Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, a human disease).

10. Virginia: Beef cattle premises with Theileria orientalis
December 2017: FAD investigation conducted on Albemarle County, VA beef herd. Clinical signs consistent with anemia.
Mortality 7/120 animals
NVSL confirmed Theileria orientalis in six animals within the herd.
March 2018: Ticks collected from orphaned calf on the farm. NVSL confirmed H. longicornis.
H. longicornis is a known competent vector for T. orientalis in New Zealand and Australia

11. Potential impacts to equids
Stress, reduced growth and production, anemia, weight loss, severe blood loss
Competent vector for:
Theileria equi
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Borrelia burgdorferi
Powassan virus
2018 China: report of H. longicornis harboring Francisella tularensis
Unknown competency for new and emerging diseases
Encourage submission of ticks found on clinically ill horses (fever, anemia, neurologic, non-specific illness cases)

12. Horses as Pathways of Entry for Exotic Pests
History of H. longicornis isolations from horses in import quarantine
World Equestrian Games 2018
Hippobosca equina (horse louse fly) from France
Collected from a group of imported horses at the Tryon International Equestrian Center
Found only in the Eastern hemisphere
Not a known vector of any disease agents
Irritating bite. Observed moving between horses at the facility.
Hyalomma marginatum ticks from Portugal
Collected from 2 different imported horses at the Tryon International Equestrian Center
Found in the Eastern hemisphere and Mediterranean Basin
Known vector for B. caballi, T. equi, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, several other viruses and Rickettsia transmissible to humans
Collected only twice previously – 1966 imported horses from Spain, 1981 shipment of cork from Europe
Both host horses piroplasmosis positive; entered the event on a piro waiver

13. Acknowledgements Denise Bonilla, APHIS-VS USDA APHIS VS SPRS
USDA APHIS Wildlife Services
USDA ARS
USDA APHIS VS CEAH and NVSL
Departments of Agriculture in all affected States
NJ Dept of Environment
NY State Dept of Health
SCWDS
Rutgers
CDC
NJ Public Health
Monmouth Co Vector Control
Hunterdon Co, NJ
NJ State Mosquito Control
VA Tech

14. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey, DVM, MS
Equine Epidemiologist
Sheep, Goat, Cervid, and Equine Health Center
Strategy and Policy
USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services