Vector-borne Diseases
A disease that is transmitted to humans or other animals by an insect or other arthropod is called a vector-borne disease. Vectors of human disease in Georgia are typically mosquitoes or ticks. Some species of mosquitoes and ticks are able to transmit viruses, rickettsiae, bacteria, or parasites to humans.
The Georgia Department of Public Health's Notifiable Disease Section monitors diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks, provides public education about prevention of vector-borne diseases, and is a resource for healthcare providers to obtain current information about the diagnosis and treatment of vector-borne diseases. The Notifiable Disease Section also conducts special projects to learn more about the public health impact of vector-borne diseases in Georgia and to institute effective control measures. Examples of tick-borne diseases that are monitored by the Notifiable Disease Section are ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and tularemia. Examples of mosquito-borne diseases that are monitored are malaria, St. Louis encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, La Crosse encephalitis, and West Nile infection. Because many of these diseases are also animal diseases, we work closely with other agencies such as the Georgia Department of Agriculture and The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.
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