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 freauently add to the list!

Top Headlines

• 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)