Vector borne diseases

Vector-borne diseases are diseases transmitted to humans or animals by an infected vector, such as mosquitoes, flies, ticks, lice and fleas. Examples of such diseases include Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile disease and Crimean-Congo fever. The transmission of pathogens can occur passively or actively. Whereas pathogens are actively transmitted through mosquitoes and ticks, passive transmission can occur through contact with flies. For this reason, mosquitoes and ticks are known as ‘biological vectors’, and flies known as ‘mechnical vectors’. Tourism, international trade and the transport of animals and birds all facilitate the entry of these vectors and thus the spread of disease.