Summer is the season for ticks, mosquitoes and other insects carrying vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus that can pose a danger to humans, pets and livestock.

As the nation observes National Mosquito Control Awareness Week June 15-21, University of Tennessee Extension specialists and UT Institute of Agriculture researchers have more resources available to help educate the public and prevent the spread of disease. The VECTOR Library, which stands for Vector Education, Community and Training Online Resources, provides more than 1,400 educational materials from the Cooperative Extension System across the United States in a centralized online database.

The library was developed by the VectorEd Network, created through a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant, stands for Vector-Borne Disease Regional Training and Evaluation Center. It is led by Penn State in collaboration with five additional institutions including the University of Tennessee.  

A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, shows that a father-focused nutrition and physical activity program significantly improved long-term healthy dietary behaviors among Mexican-heritage fathers living in rural US communities. The 6-week program led to sustained increases in fruit and vegetable intake and healthy behaviors up to 2.5 years after completion.