Arthropods are common vectors of disease. A vector is an organism which spreads disease-causing parasites or pathogens from one host to another. Invertebrates spread bacterial, viral and protozoan pathogens by two main mechanisms. Either via their bite, as in the case of malaria spread by mosquitoes, or via their faeces, as in the case of Chagas' Disease spread by Triatoma bugs or epidemic typhus spread by human body lice.
Many invertebrates are responsible for transmitting diseases. Mosquitoes are perhaps the best known invertebrate vector and transmit a wide range of tropical diseases including malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever. Another large group of vectors are flies. Sandfly species transmit the disease leishmaniasis, by acting as vectors for protozoan Leishmania species, and tsetse flies transmit protozoan trypansomes (Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypansoma brucei rhodesiense) which cause African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). Ticks and lice form another large group of invertebrate vectors. The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme Disease, is transmitted by ticks and members of the bacterial genus Rickettsia are transmitted by lice. For example, the human body louse transmits the bacterium Rickettsia prowazekii which causes epidemic typhus.
Although invertebrate-transmitted diseases pose a particular threat on the continents of Africa, Asia and South America, there is one way of controlling invertebrate-borne diseases, which is by controlling the invertebrate vector. For example, one way of controlling malaria is to control the mosquito vector through the use of mosquito nets, which prevent mosquitoes from coming into contact with humans.
Diseases
Disease Vector Causative organismHostSymptomsAreaTreatmentAfrican horse sicknessCulicoid midgeOrbivirus (virus)EquidsFever, lung, heart or mucous membrane symptoms.Europe, AfricaVaccinationAfrican trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)Tsetse flyTrypanosoma brucei (protozoan)Wild mammals, cattle, humanFever, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, sleep disturbancesSub-Saharan AfricaVarious drugs BabesiosisTickBabesia (protozoan)Humans, rodents, dogs, cattleFever, hemolytic anemia, chills, sweating, thrombocytopeniaSouth Europe, Central United StatesAntibioticsBluetongue diseaseCulicoid midgeOrbivirus (virus)Cattle, sheepFever, salivation, swelling of face and tongueEurope, AfricaVaccinationChagas disease (American trypanosomiasis)Various assassin bugs of subfamily TriatominaeTrypanosoma cruzi (protozoan)Mild symptoms, then chronic heart or brain inflammationCentral and South AmericaAntiparasitic drugs; treatment of symptomsChikungunyaMosquitoChikungunya virusHumanAbdomen pain, eye pain, joint pain, muscle pain, fever, chills, fatigue, headache, skin rashAsiaAntibioticsCrimean–Congo hemorrhagic feverTickCrimean–Congo hemorrhagic feverHuman Dog CatFever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and photophobia (sensitivity to light)Africa Eastern Europe WorldwideGloves, Long sleeves, and pants Avoiding contact with body fluidsDengue feverMosquitoFlavivirus (virus)Fever then arthritis(Sub) tropics and South EuropeObservation/supportive treatmentDirofilariasisMosquitoDirofilariaDogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, cats, seals, sea lions, muskrats, bears, rabbits, raccoons, reptiles, beavers, ferrets, monkeys,Chest pain, fever, pleural effusion, cough, nodules under the skin or lung granulomasWorldwideHeartworm medicineTick-borne encephalitisTickTick-borne encephalitis virusIll with flu then meningitisCentral and North Europeprevention and vaccinationHeartland virus diseaseTickHeartland virusFever, lethargy, headache, myalgia, diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, anorexia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, arthralgiaMissouri and Tennessee, USASupportive treatmentLeishmaniasisSandflyLeishmania (protozoan)Fever, damage to the spleen and liver, and anaemiaSouth hemisphere and Mediterranean CountriesTreatment of infectedLyme diseaseTickBorrelia burgdorferi (bacterium)Deer, humanBull's-eye pattern skin rash around bite, fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, headache, joint pain. Sometimes neurological problems.Europe, North Africa, and North AmericaPrevention and antibioticsLymphatic filariasisMosquitoWuchereria bancroftiHumanFever, swelling of limbs, breasts, or genitaliaAfrica, Asia. Various drugsMalariaMosquitoPlasmodium (protist)HumanHeadache then heavy fever(Sub) tropicsPrevention and anti-malariaPlagueFleaYersinia pestis Rats, Human Fever, weakness and headache. In the bubonic form there is also swelling of lymph nodes, while in the septicemic form tissues may turn black and die, and in the pneumonic form shortness of breath, cough and chest pain may occurCentral Asia, India, US, Africa, Peru, Brazil AntibioticsPogosta diseaseSynonyms:Karelian feverOckelbo diseaseSindbis feverMosquitoSindbis virusSkin rash, fever, in severe cases - arthritisScandinavia, France, Russia unknownRickettsial diseases:TyphusrickettsialpoxBoutonneuse feverAfrican tick bite feverRocky Mountain spotted fever etc.Tick, mite, liceRickettsia species (bacteria)Fever with bleeding around the biteGlobalPrevention and antibioticsTularemiaDeer flies, ticksFrancisella tularensis (bacterium)Birds, lagomorphs, rodentsSkin ulcer, swollen and painful lymph glands, fever, chills headache, exhaustionNorth AmericaStreptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacinWest Nile feverMosquitoWest Nile virusBirds, humanFever, headaches, skin rash, body aches. Africa, Asia, North America, South and East EuropeNoneYellow feverMosquitoYellow fever virusHumanMuscle pain, abdomen pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, jaundice, fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, bleeding, deliriumSouth America, AfricaYellow fever vaccineZika feverMosquitoZika virusMonkeys, humanFever, eye pain, conjunctivitis, rash, headache, vomiting, joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue, chills, sweating, loss of appetiteSouth America, Mexico, Asia, AfricaDecreasing mosquito bites, condoms
See also Arbovirus Climate change and infectious diseases List of cutaneous conditions List of insect-borne diseases List of parasites (human) Mosquito-borne disease Robovirus Tibovirus Tick-borne disease
References