The New England Center of Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases (NEWVEC) was established in 2022 with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  NEWVEC began as a partnership of university research teams from each of the six New England states joining with state and local health departments and agricultural extension programs to discover, evaluate, and promote practices in your backyard that reduce the burden of tick- and mosquito-borne diseases. NEWVEC’s continual undertaking is Project ITCH, our acronym for “Is Tick Control Helping.”  Project ITCH is being carried out in two phases and was started in Spring 2023. 

Phase 1: NEWVEC is asking for your participation to tell us about what you are doing at your home to reduce the incidence of ticks and tick bites. Whether you are hiring a company to spray your lawn, going with a DIY approach, or just crossing your fingers, we’d like to learn more about your experience.

Phase 2: NEWVEC investigator teams will gather your information and through a selection process select residential properties to participate in a research study to assess what’s working.  We will partner with you to answer the question, “Is your Tick Control Helping.”  And while participating households will get free evaluation of their property, the results of Project ITCH will inform all residents about best practices to protect themselves, their families and their pets. It all starts with you taking a few moments to answer a few survey questions.  Keep informed about Project ITCH and other NEWVEC initiatives by signing up to receive updates here.