What Are Vector-borne Diseases? - INFOGRAPHIC

Human illnesses caused by bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Vector-borne diseases cause more than 700,000 deaths each year. They represent 17% of all infectious diseases around the world.

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Vector-borne diseases cause more than 700,000 deaths each year. They represent 17% of all infectious diseases around the world. Click To Tweet

Types of vector-borne diseases

Chagas disease
Dengue fever
Human African Trypanosomiasis
Japanese encephalitis
Leishmaniasis
Lyme disease
Malaria
Onchocerciasis
Schistosomiasis
West Nile virus
Yellow fever

Vectors which transmit these diseases

A vector is a living organism which transmits an infectious disease between humans, or from animals to humans. Such vectors include:

Mosquitoes
Aquatic snails
Black flies
Fleas
Lice
Sandflies
Ticks
Triatomine bugs
Tsetse flies

Preventing vector-borne diseases

There are an estimated 96 million cases of dengue fever annually, with 3.9 billion people across 128 countries at risk.
More than 400,000 deaths are caused each year around the world by malaria. A majority of these are among children under five [5] years of age.

However, many vector-borne diseases can be prevented through informed protective measures. The World Health Organization [WHO] offers strategic guidance to its development partners and to countries, under the Global vector control response [GVCR] 2017-2030 in an attempt to prevent diseases and properly respond to outbreaks. Simple measures can be taken to avoid most vector-borne diseases in areas where they are prevalent. These include:

Receiving relevant vaccinations, and ensuring they are up to date.
Wearing light-colored clothes - long-sleeved shirts, and long trousers tucked into shoes or socks.
Using insect repellents on clothing and exposed skin.
Installing window screens at home and the workplace.
Sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets.
Checking the body regularly for ticks.
Maintaining strict personal and food hygiene.
Avoiding contact with blood, bodily fluids, organs, and/or secretions of infected animals and people.