DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — State agriculture officials are warning livestock owners after the first detection of an Asian longhorned tick in Alabama was confirmed on a stray dog in DeKalb County.
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries said the tick, identified as Haemaphysalis longicornis, is native to eastern Asia and was first confirmed in the United States by the USDA in 2017. As of April 2026, it has been detected in 24 eastern states.
Officials said the tick can feed on humans, domestic animals and wildlife as it moves between hosts and the environment. It is known to carry Theileria orientalis, a livestock pathogen, and can also transmit bacteria and viruses linked to Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Heartland virus…