DHS Finds Tick Known to Carry West Nile at Charleston Port

A species of tick known to carry the West Nile virus was discovered in a shipment of gloves from Pakistan at the Charleston port Wednesday.

Department of Homeland Security agents were inspecting the shipment looking for beetles, ABCNews4 reports. Instead they found an Argas tick, which is a species common throughout Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and south-central Asia, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

USDA officials say this is the first time an Argas tick has been intercepted at a maritime port. The shipment is being exported.