Invasive Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) investigation in South Carolina: new records of establishment, pathogen prevalence, and blood meal analyses

The first established population of the Asian longhorned tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann, Acari: Ixodidae) was discovered in a northern South Carolina county in June 2022. A coordinated investigation was launched to investigate the invasive tick’s pathogen infection prevalence and blood meal preferences. Almost 2,000 Ha. longicornis ticks were collected from one cattle field. A majority of collected ticks had evidence of cattle and dog blood meals, and multiple samples were tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Theileria orientalis—first reports for these pathogens in this tick species in South Carolina. This investigation was the direct result of a collaborative education campaign and tick surveillance program launched earlier in the year with multiple state partners.