Vector News
This page is a home for interesting and UK-relevant news about vector biology and ecology, vector-borne disease, and public health. Check back every so often as we frequently add to the list!
Top Headlines
- Invasive mosquito species detected in east London (GOV.UK news story, Sep 2026). The first record of Aedes aegypti breeding in the UK, reported through the public Mosquito Watch scheme. UKHSA assesses the risk to the public as very low.
- Should I be concerned that an invasive mosquito species has been detected in east London? (UKHSA Blog, Sep 2026). UKHSA's own explainer on what the finding does and does not mean.
- Expert reaction to the detection of Aedes aegypti in east London (Science Media Centre, Sep 2026). Independent entomologists on establishment, winter survival, and why the citizen report mattered.
- First detection of Usutu virus in Scotland (GOV.UK APHA news story, Apr 2026)
- First cases of Usutu virus found in blackbirds in Scotland (BBC News, Apr 2026)
- First detection of West Nile virus in UK mosquitoes (GOV.UK news story, May 2025)
- How we monitor invasive mosquitoes and stop them spreading in the UK (UKHSA Blog, Dec 2024)
- HAIRS risk assessment: West Nile virus (GOV.UK research publication, Jun 2025)
- How we protect the UK from vector-borne diseases like dengue and West Nile virus (UKHSA Blog, May 2025)
- UKHSA HECC report shows impacts on public health due to warming climate (GOV.UK press release, Dec 2023)
Preparedness
- One Health vector-borne disease surveillance (GOV.UK, 2026 update)
- West Nile virus: epidemiology, diagnosis and prevention (GOV.UK, 2025 update)
- National contingency plan for invasive Aedes mosquitoes in England (GOV.UK guidance, May 2026)
- Send a tick to UKHSA's Tick Surveillance Scheme (GOV.UK, 2025 update)
- Mosquito Watch: submit a mosquito (GOV.UK, 2025 update)
- Invasive mosquito surveillance (GOV.UK, 2025 update)
- Mosquito and tick incidents (GOV.UK, 2025 update)
Citizen Science and Climate
- Citizen science supports research into vector-borne diseases (UKCEH, May 2024)
- How you can help us resist the tiger mosquito's conquest of Europe (UKHSA Blog, Jul 2024)
- What is Lyme disease and why do we need to be tick-aware? (UKHSA Blog, Mar 2024, archived by UKHSA, but still a good explainer)
- Mosquito Scotland (UK mosquito surveillance citizen science project)
- iRecord (UK biological recording platform)
- Heat summary - Chapter 8: climate and vector-borne diseases (GOV.UK, Dec 2024)
- How does climate change threaten our health? From flooding to wildfires (UKHSA Blog, Dec 2023)