How infections may be spread by vectors?
Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as mosquitoes, ticks, triatomine bugs, sandflies, and blackflies. Arthropod vectors are cold-blooded (ectothermic) and thus especially sensitive to climatic factors.
What is a vector in infectious diseases?
A vector is a living organism that transmits an infectious agent from an infected animal to a human or another animal. Vectors are frequently arthropods, such as mosquitoes, ticks, flies, fleas and lice.
What is the best known disease vector?
Mosquitoes are the best known disease vector. Others include ticks, flies, sandflies, fleas, triatomine bugs and some freshwater aquatic snails.
Can non infectious diseases be spread by vectors?
Students should recognize that infectious diseases are caused by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites and can be spread by direct contact or through vectors. Noninfectious diseases cannot be “caught” from other humans or animals.
Is Zika a vector borne disease?
Other viral diseases transmitted by vectors include chikungunya fever, Zika virus fever, yellow fever, West Nile fever, Japanese encephalitis (all transmitted by mosquitoes), tick-borne encephalitis (transmitted by ticks).
Is Ebola a vector borne disease?
Ebola, vector-borne diseases rear ugly heads again.
Can humans be vectors of disease?
Many factors affect the incidence of vector-borne diseases. These factors include animals hosting the disease, vectors, and people. Humans can also be vectors for some diseases, such as Tobacco mosaic virus, physically transmitting the virus with their hands from plant to plant.
Is Zika a vector-borne disease?
Is Ebola a vector-borne disease?
Is Ebola vector borne?
There is no evidence that mosquitoes or other insects transmit the Ebola virus. For humans, the source of exposure to virus-carrying body fluids may include: An infected animal. Another person who has symptoms of the disease or has died from the disease.