For the first time, a tick-borne disease never seen in Arizona has been identified. At least two people have been bitten in the last two years.
Only 40 cases of Rickettsia Parkeri have been found in the U.S. and none of those cases were in Arizona, until now. But what makes this story interesting is the tick itself.
Jessica Rigler with the Arizona Department of Health says, "Not only have we found the first two cases ever known to be in Arizona of Rickettsia Parkeri, but we’ve also seem to have found a new tick carrying this disease."
The tick, called Amblyomma triste can be found in the mountainous regions of southern Arizona, primarily in Cochise and Santa Cruz counties.
Rigler says those who are at most risk for getting bit are hikers and people who work in the area.
