Vector-borne diseases, while historically most prevalent in tropical climes, where they disproportionately affect poor and undernourished populations, are cropping up increasingly on the radar of temperate region disease specialists and medical practitioners.

Pest control companies are staying busy across the Central Coast, including Bakersfield. As summer turns into fall, O'Connor Pest Control has been fielding numerous calls per day for help fighting pest infestations.

Some agricultural scientists say that climate change could result in changes in the population dynamics of insect pests in Bakersfield. It may alter insect population numbers as well as insect feeding activity. If those insects feed on humans, the impact will be felt quickly and painfully!

Illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites have actually tripled in the U.S. over the last 13 years, according to a new report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and pest control will be increasingly important for Bakersfield.