Ohio State helps launch national resource to protect people, animals from vector-borne threats

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lyme disease is on the rise, invasive ticks are spreading and Ohio leads the nation in La Crosse virus cases caused by infected mosquitos. To help protect people and livestock, researchers at The Ohio State University have helped launch a new digital resource that delivers prevention strategies and science-based solutions directly to those who need them most.

Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and Ohio State University Extension helped lead development of the new national VECTOR Library — short for “Vector Education, Communication and Training Online Resources.” OSU Extension is CFAES’ outreach arm.

The VECTOR Library is a centralized, publicly accessible digital platform offering more than 1,400 educational materials on ticks, mosquitoes and other arthropods. The resource was created as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded VectorED Network, led in partnership by The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Tennessee.

“OSU Extension was an active participant in the development of the VECTOR Library, from ideation to expert evaluation and curation of content, ensuring sound scientific information was prioritized,” said Darryl Ramoutar, an Extension educator funded through the CDC with appointments in CFAES, the College of Veterinary Medicine and OSU Extension.

A growing concern for Ohio
Vector-borne diseases pose significant risks to people and animals in Ohio.

“Cases of Lyme disease, which is caused by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, have increased 47-fold in people in Ohio since 2010, and data on exposure in dogs mirrors this trend,” said Risa Pesapane, a vector-borne disease ecologist and assistant professor jointly appointed in CFAES and the College of Veterinary Medicine. “We’re also seeing rising cases of Alpha-gal syndrome, an allergic condition linked to tick bites, as well as emerging livestock diseases like equine granulocytic anaplasmosis and bovine theileriosis.”

Lyme disease can lead to fever, fatigue, joint pain, and, if untreated, more serious complications affecting the heart, nervous system and joints.

Beyond human health, these pests can also inflict major economic losses on agriculture. Vector-borne diseases weaken livestock, reduce productivity and increase veterinary costs for farmers, creating added stress for Ohio’s agricultural economy.

Ramoutar said the VECTOR Library is designed to support Ohio’s agricultural community, including livestock and crop producers, by providing fast access to trustworthy, region-specific guidance.

“The VECTOR Library offers resources on disease awareness, treatment guidelines, arthropod and landscape management, and practical prevention tips like EPA-approved repellents and protective clothing,” Ramoutar said. “The site also includes posters, videos, research papers and fact sheets that can be used to train seasonal workers, farm families, 4-H participants, school-aged children and other Extension audiences.”

One-stop access to local and national resources
What sets the VECTOR Library apart is its ability to consolidate national Extension expertise and regionally specific resources into a single, searchable platform. Users can filter by state, vector, target audience, material type, language and other metrics.

“Compared to centralized public health databases, the VECTOR Library helps local communities understand their geographic vector species, habitats and seasonal patterns,” Ramoutar said. “This enables rapid identification and response, whether during an outbreak in Ohio or while traveling elsewhere in the United States. Importantly, all this information is in one place; just choose and search your location.”

The platform supports a wide range of users, including Extension educators, public health officials, veterinary professionals, agricultural workers and community members. It also allows local health departments to quickly distribute multilingual educational materials during outbreaks.

“It’s difficult to take appropriate measures to protect yourself if you aren’t aware of the risks or how to prevent them,” Pesapane said. “We hope the VECTOR Library expands access to high-quality, science-based information and empowers people to take protective action.”

That kind of accessibility is what makes the platform especially valuable in real-world settings, according to Ramoutar.

“The VECTOR Library gives Extension educators and community leaders a ready-to-use tool for prevention and outreach,” Ramoutar said. “It could be a game changer for protecting both human and animal health.”

Additional partners in the VectorED Network include the University of Delaware, the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia Wesleyan College.