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lone star tick
noun
: an ixodid tick (Amblyomma americanum) of the southern, central, and eastern U.S. that attacks mammals and birds, is a vector of several diseases (such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis), and in which the adult female has a single white spot on the back
Examples of lone star tick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Meanwhile, more water-guzzling swimming pools are being built than ever, lone star ticks that can cause a meat allergy have reached Rhode Island and giant Burmese pythons are slithering northward from Florida.
—Janet Wilson, USA TODAY, 27 June 2024
The Kansas City area is home to multiple species of these blood-sucking insects, including the American dog tick, lone star tick and deer tick.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2024
The lone star tick, first found on an island off Norwalk in 2017, is still confined mostly to the shoreline in Connecticut, Ridge said.
—Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2024
Despite her caution, Pleasants — who has alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to mammal meat caused by a bite from the lone star tick — estimates that since she was diagnosed in 2010, she’s experienced anaphylaxis about a dozen times.
—Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2024
Bites from the lone star tick can lead to an allergy to red meat.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 28 Feb. 2024
Unsurprisingly, the cases clustered in areas where the lone star tick is known to be established—though other ticks and potentially chiggers have also been linked to AGS.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 27 July 2023
Park is currently examining what happens when lone star ticks feed.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 14 Sep. 2023
That does not mean that lone star ticks are the only ones that can lead to developing AGS—other ticks have not been excluded as potential culprits.3 AGS can affect people of all ages, though AGS cases occur more often in adults.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 21 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lone star tick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1896, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near lone star tick
Cite this Entry
“Lone star tick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lone%20star%20tick. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Medical Definition
lone star tick
noun
: an ixodid tick of the genus Amblyomma (A. americanum) of the southern, central, and eastern United States that attacks mammals and birds, is a vector of several diseases (as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis), and in which the adult female has a single white spot on the back
More from Merriam-Webster on lone star tick
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lone star tick
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