Vector-borne Agents

Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare mosquito-transmitted human illness caused by the Togavirus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEv). It is closely related to Western- and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viruses. In North America, EEEv occurs mainly in the coastal region of eastern Canada and along the Atlantic and Gulf coast in the US. Natural transmission takes […]

West Nile Virus (WNv) is a flavivirus that in infected humans causes head- and body aches, fever, skin rash and swollen lymph nodes. More serious effects occur if the virus crosses the blood-brain barrier. This event leads to development of encephalomyelitis and possibly to death. Mosquitoes that feed on infected blood from birds may become […]

Phytoplasmas are bacteria-like organisms without cell walls, discovered in 1967 from the phloem of members of the genus Aster manifesting symptoms of “yellows” disease. They belong to the class Mollicutes, along with mycoplasmas, spiroplasmas and other animal parasites, saprophytes, and insect commensals, and affect more than 700 plant species in all continents, many of which […]