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Soft ticks could help spread the African swine fever (ASF) virus across the country should it be introduced to the U.S., according to research from the University of Florida.
Unlike hard ticks — the arachnids known for latching on to hikers and the like for a blood meal — soft ticks infest the nests of animals and feed through brief bites. They're known to help transmit the ASF virus in Africa, but it was unclear whether the species of soft ticks present in the U.S. could also carry the disease, according to Samantha Wisely, a professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Florida.
