New tick-borne disease discovered in Iowa

A University of Iowa study finds a new tick-borne disease has found its way into the Hawkeye State. Ehrlichia (er-lick’-ee-uh) is carried by the Lone Star tick and -can- be passed to people. U-of-I researcher Tom Gahan says the usual host is the white-tailed deer, but the disease can occasionally strike humans.So far, no cases have been reported in humans in Iowa, though a few cases have turned up in Illinois and Missouri. The ticks in question have been found in Iowa though, mainly in the southern portion of the state.During the three-year study, thousands of Iowa deer hunters took small blood samples from the white-tailed deer they’d nailed. Those samples were studied for the disease.Symptoms of the disease are similar to the flu and it can be treated with antibiotics.