With summer here and new West Nile virus cases emerging in Texas, physicians can share basic recommendations with patients to help protect the public from vector-borne illness during mosquito season as well as all year long.
Dallas health officials have identified four mosquito pools positive for West Nile in swimming pools around the county in recent weeks. Harris County reported one human case of West Nile virus severe neuroinvasive disease in May.
That could be just the tip of the iceberg over the next few hot, muggy months, says Rama Thyagarajan, MD, chair of the Texas Medical Association Committee on Infectious Diseases.
While the topic of vector-borne illness – infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks – is top of mind in the summer, physician awareness and preparation should be constant, Dr. Thyagarajan cautions.
“We need to think about what we can do year-round rather than saying, oh, Ebola is here and then forgetting about it. Or, [a] COVID outbreak is here, and then forgetting about it,” the associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School said.
Every year, there’s a variable spike in cases, although physicians only see a small percentage of people who become ill due to West Nile, Dr. Thyagarajan adds. However, people who travel overseas may come in contact with chikungunya, Zika, or dengue and bring those illnesses back home.
While the majority of arbovirus (arthropod-borne) activity last year was related to West Nile, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported 10 cases of chikungunya and 58 cases of dengue virus in 2025. So far in 2026, the state has seen only one case of chikungunya, one case of West Nile, and three cases of dengue, according to DSHS data updated as of June 2.
Dr. Thyagarajan says physicians can recommend patients take “common-sense" steps like washing their hands, wearing long sleeves, and clearing out standing water. Physicians can also help patients stay aware and up to date of vaccine-preventable diseases in their area, such as yellow fever, dengue, malaria, or tick-borne encephalitis.
For use in physician offices, DSHS has produced handouts about West Nile virus and tick-borne illnesses. More information is available on TMA’s Infectious Diseases page.
Health officials in Dallas, Houston, and Austin are also working together to monitor conditions with an influx of international travelers arriving in Texas for the FIFA World Cup. DSHS has also established a 24-hour hotline for physicians and other clinicians who need assistance with the diagnosis and treatment of suspected infectious diseases tied to World Cup travel.
Physicians can also stay abreast of current issues by signing up for news and health alerts from DSHS.