Utah State University ecologist Norah Saarman and her research team have documented the spread of mosquitoes that transmit diseases like West Nile virus across North America.
Their findings, published in One Health, highlight that these disease-carrying insects — and their hybrid varieties — are now expanding their range into new areas, including parts of Utah.
What's happening?
"West Nile virus or WNV is mainly spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito," said Saarman. "Unfortunately, populations of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus are increasing in our state and throughout the United States."
WNV was first detected in Utah in 2003, and the number of infections has steadily risen.
Saarman and her team recently determined that the southern house mosquito — Culex quinquefasciatus, or "quinx" — is expanding its range across the midlatitudes of North America.
The study also found evidence of hybridization, with the quinx interbreeding with the northern house mosquito (Culex pipiens).
Why is this development important?
"Climate change and land use change are the main drivers behind mosquitoes' forward migration," a Utah State article explained.
"Mosquitoes need at least two things for survival, and those are blood from vertebrate hosts and water," Saarman said. "As Utah's population grows and our state becomes increasingly urbanized, mosquitoes flock to welcoming habitats, including watered lawns, storm drains, and households with pets, unintentionally created by human development."
WNV is concerning because it can cause severe and sometimes fatal illness, and there's no specific treatment or vaccine to prevent it.
"It's well-known that West Nile Virus is highly underreported, with only one in more than 112 infections detected in case counts," Saarman said. "This means the 2025 case estimate in Utah could be well over 5,000."
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What mosquitoes? 😎 While most infected people never show symptoms, a small percentage develop serious complications such as encephalitis or meningitis, which can lead to paralysis, brain damage, or death.
As warmer temperatures expand mosquitoes' range, WNV continues to pose an unpredictable and growing public health threat.
What's being done about it?
Mosquitoes are drawn to areas of increased human development; for example, they thrive in the warm, damp conditions of conventional lawns.
This means that even a decision as simple as upgrading to a natural lawn could not only save your ankles from irritating bug bites, but also potentially prevent exposure to this incurable virus.
On a broader scale, research like Saarman's helps states like Utah create an action plan for this troubling development.
"Our targeted approach will also help mosquito abatement managers minimize off-target impacts of insecticide and other interventions," she said.
"Being able to monitor the level of insecticide resistance, in which species it's occurring and where it's taken place is a management challenge. Our data will help to counter this challenge."
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