Vector-borne diseases remain a serious public health concern in Texas. The state consistently ranks among the top five nationwide for West Nile virus cases, with DSHS reporting hundreds of human cases in peak years. Kissing bugs (Triatoma species) capable of transmitting Chagas disease are found in at least 28 Texas counties. Meanwhile, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes — vectors for dengue, Zika, and chikungunya — maintain year-round populations along the Gulf Coast. We monitor DSHS surveillance data, CDC MMWR reports, and county-level mosquito testing results to deliver timely alerts.
Texas reported 410 West Nile virus cases in 2023 alone, more than any other state. Chagas disease, once considered rare in the U.S., now has an estimated 300,000+ cases nationwide with significant concentration in southern border states. Pesticide misapplication incidents — including off-label use and contaminated products — lead to EPA emergency advisories that directly affect Texas consumers. The lag between a disease outbreak and public awareness can be weeks, during which preventable exposures occur. Our coverage bridges the gap between agency surveillance data and actionable information for Texas residents, drawing from DSHS weekly reports, EPA recall notices, and published epidemiological studies.
54 articles in this category
A man in his 60s is the county's first West Nile fatality this year. State data shows 1,376 positive mosquito pools and 57 human cases across Texas.
Cameron County launched a community vector-reporting line and Combes began larviciding ditches the same week new West Nile positives surfaced in Nueces, Bell and Rockwall counties.
Florida has logged more than 250 locally acquired dengue cases, the biggest continental U.S. outbreak in decades. Texas is one of the few states where local spread has happened before.
Cooler weather revives daytime lone star tick activity across Texas, renewing attention on alpha-gal syndrome, the red-meat allergy a single bite can set off.
A 14-month field study led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research found Gulf Coast ticks pass Rickettsia parkeri to 100 percent of their offspring — no mammal required.
FDA posted a voluntary recall covering one lot of Mezzetta's 32-ounce Golden Greek peperoncini after a consumer video showed a possible pest contaminant in the jar.
Arlington crews sprayed two nights near Caliente Drive after a mosquito trap tested positive for West Nile, as CDC's Sept. 1 update put Texas at 46 human cases.
FDA grants emergency use authorization for drug to treat New World screwworm in dogs and puppies, expanding veterinary options as parasite cases rise in Texas.
Texas A&M entomologist Gabriel Hamer deploys innovative kissing bug traps in Argentina, advancing collaborative research on Chagas disease vectors threatening Texas and the Americas.