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The Lone Star tick is one of the most common ticks in Missouri. It carries a number of diseases, including the Bourbon virus. Tick-borne diseases are increasing as Missouri's climate becomes wetter, warmer and more tick-friendly.
The tick season in Missouri is getting longer and more severe, according to researchers in Missouri and Illinois.
Ticks survive best in warm, wet climates. As seasons become warmer due to climate change, more ticks survive, thrive and multiply, latching onto animals and humans and spreading diseases including Lyme disease and Heartland virus, they said.
New tick species also are moving into the central Midwest, carrying new viruses or bacteria with them that can infect humans, pets and livestock.