J Med Entomol. 2026 Jul 1;63(4):tjag114. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjag114.
ABSTRACT
Vector-borne diseases represent a growing public health issue nationwide. Nebraska reports a sustained burden of mosquito-borne diseases and expanding tick-borne disease risk. This study aims to assess retrospective surveillance data for vector abundance, vector infection rates, and human vector-borne disease reports to examine the relationship between vector factors and human risk. Vector abundance and pathogen infection rates were mapped alongside the presence and incidence of key vector-borne diseases. Mosquito surveillance and mosquito-borne disease data were available from 2012 to 2024, while tick surveillance and tick-borne disease data were available from 2021 to 2024. Statistical models and comparative tests were used to explore associations between vector factors and disease reports. In the full 2012-2024 dataset, only Culex tarsalis abundance was associated with human WNV case counts. In a contemporary subset (2021-2024), Culex pipiens pooled infection rate showed a significant negative association with human cases, although this relationship was not observed in the full dataset. Tick surveillance indicates established populations of vector tick species in distinct regions of the state, with pathogen detections generally aligning with areas where human cases have been reported. However, there was no positive association between tick infection rates and the presence of human cases. Differences in the level of human case reporting and data availability affected interpretation of long-term trends and limited strong conclusions regarding direct relationships between vector factors and human disease. Continued integration of entomological surveillance with human case information may help clarify patterns of vector-borne disease risk and inform efforts to address current and emerging threats in Nebraska.
PMID:42424506 | DOI:10.1093/jme/tjag114
