Tick that spreads meat allergy, flu-like symptoms has reached 3 Connecticut counties

WTNH – Monday, June 22, 2026
By Ellie Sennhenn

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Experts say two invasive tick species have made their way to Connecticut, particularly in three coastal counties.

Lone star ticks and Asian longhorned ticks are not native to the nutmeg state. Last week, the species had established populations in New Haven and Fairfield. Now they are being found in New London — specifically Waterford, according to Dr. Goudarz Molaei of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

Both species are capable of spreading Ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne bacterial illness. The disease causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue, and it can be dangerous if left untreated.

“Both ticks are transmitting one disease, both ticks are feeding on white tail deer, and there’s the possibility that there’s an exchange of the disease agent between the two tick species,” Molaei said.

Lone star ticks can also spread alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which is a potentially life-threatening allergy to a molecule found in beef, pork and dairy, that can develop after a tick bite. People with AGS can have an allergic reaction after eating red meat or being exposed to products containing alpha-gal.

“Having these two tick species side-by-side is a perfect storm,” Molaei said.

Experts say that people who live in Fairfield or New Haven counties, especially in coastal communities, be on high alert as these areas are heavily infested this year with invasive ticks.

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