Western Gulf Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (VBD)
Location: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Funded through December 2021
Key VBD Issues
A Western Gulf COE student trainee examines the cloth after performing a tick drag.
- Mosquito-borne diseases: West Nile virus, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Eastern equine encephalitis
- Tick and flea-borne rickettsial diseases
By the Numbers
- 3,000 vector control professionals trained
- Three academic certificate programs hosted 31 undergraduate students
- 40 graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in entomology
- Tick surveillance and tickborne disease diagnostic testing newly implemented in 54 counties in Texas
Regional Resources
- Annual conference with regional academic and public health partners
Research
Participants learn about mosquito larvae collection at a Western Gulf training.
- Determining the public’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about local mosquito control programs in Texas
- Developing an innovative diagnostic test for ehrlichiosis
- Initiating a regional program where the public contributes information about their encounters with ticks and maintaining tick colony of regional species
- Developing new laboratory method to reduce Zika testing from 72 hours to 24 hours
Major Collaborators
- Four universities in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas
- Six local health departments (county and city)
- Texas Department of State Health Services
For More Information
Page last reviewed: May 18, 2021