Major Pathogens Biologically Transmitted by Arthropods
(adapted from Higley, L. G., L. L. Karr, and L. P. Pedigo. 1989. Manual of Entomology and Pest Management. Macmillan, New York)
| Vector | Pathogen | Disease | Distribution | Victim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACARI (ticks and mites) | Rickettsia | |||
| Liponyssoides sanguineus | Rickettsia akari | rickettsial pox | world | humans |
| Leptotrombidium spp. | Rickettsia tsutsugamushi | scrub typhus | Southeast Asia | humans |
|
various, especially Dermacentor spp.
The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. The species can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a rickettsial disease. |
Rickettsia rickettsii | Rocky Mountain spotted fever | North and South America | humans |
| Bacteria | ||||
| Argas spp. | Borrelia anserina | avian spirochetosis | Africa, Australia, Middle East, South America | birds |
| Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes pacificus | Borrelia burgdorferi | Lyme disease | United States | humans |
| Ornithodoros spp. | Borrelia recurrentis | relapsing fever | Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America | humans |
| various spp. | Francisella tularensis | tularemia | world | humans |
| Boophilus annulatus (& other species) | Babesia bigemina | Texas cattle fever | Africa, Central and South America, Europe, Southeast Asia | cattle |
| Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (& other species) | Theileria parva | East Coast fever | Africa | cattle |
| Virus | ||||
| Dermacentor andersoni (& other species) | CTF virus | Colorado tick fever | United States, Canada | humans |
| Hyalomma marginatum | CCHF virus | Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever | Africa, Asia, Europe | humans |
| Ixodes persulcatus (& other species) | RSSE virus | Russian spring-summer encephalitis | Russia | humans |
| Ixodes ricinus | LI virus | louping ill | Europe | sheep |
| Ixodes ricinus (& other species) | TBE virus | tick-borne encephalitis | Europe, Russia | humans |
| Ornithodoros porcinus | ASF virus | African swine fever | Africa, Europe | swine |
| Anoplura (lice) | Bacteria | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediculus humanus | Borrelia recurrentis | epidemic relapsing fever | Africa | humans |
| Rickettsia | ||||
| Pediculus humanus | Rickettsia prowazekii | louse-borne typhus | Africa | humans |
| Pediculus humanus | Rochalimaea quintana | trench fever | Africa, Asia, Europe, Central & South America | humans |
| Diptera (flies) | Viruses | |||
| Culicoides spp. | bluetongue virus | bluetongue | Africa, Asia, United States | sheep |
| Culicoides spp. | BEF virus | bovine ephemeral fever | Africa, Australia | cattle |
| Aedes spp. especially A. aegypti | DEN virus | dengue | Carribean, Southeast Asia, North America | humans |
| Aedes spp. especially A. aegypti | YF virus | yellow fever | Africa, Central & South America | humans |
| Aedes spp. especially A. triseriatus | LAC virus | LaCrosse encephalitis | North America | humans |
| Culex spp. | SLE virus | St. Louis encephalitis | North & South America | humans, horses |
| Culex spp. | JBE virus | Japanese encephalitis | eastern Asia | humans |
| Culex and Culiseta spp. | WEE virus | western equine encephalitis | Europe, North & South America | humans, horses |
| various spp. | EEE virus | eastern equine encephalitis | North & South America | humans, horses |
| various spp. | VEE virus | Venezuelan equine encephalitis | North & South America | humans, horses |
| various spp. | RVF virus | Rift Valley fever | Africa | humans, livestock |
| Phlebotomus papatasi (& other species) | sand fly fever virus | sand fly fever | Africa, Asia, Europe | humans |
| Protozoa | ||||
| Anopheles spp. | Plasmodium falciporum, P. malariae, P. ovale, P. vivax | malaria | world (tropics) | humans |
|
Glossina spp.
USDA The tsetse fly, Glossina spp., transmits protozoans which cause sleeping sickness and nagana. Several species can transmit the flagellate protozoans. They include Glossina palpalis, G. fuscipes, G. tachinoides, G. morsitans, G. swynnertoni, and G. pallidipes. |
Trypanosoma brucei gambiense | sleeping sickness | tropical Africa | humans |
| Phlebotomus spp. (Old World);Lutzomyia spp. (New World) | Leishmania spp. | Leishmaniasis, Kala-azar, dumdum fever | world (New World: forested and arid tropics) (Old World: savanna, steppe, subtropical) | humans, dogs |
| Glossina spp. | Trypanosoma brucei brucei | nagana | tropical Africa | cattle |
| Nematodes | ||||
| Aedes, Anopheles, & Mansonia spp. | Brugia malayi | brugian filariasis | Southeast Asia | humans |
| Culex pipiens, Aedes & Anophelesspp. | Wuchereria brancrofti | Bancroftian filariasis | world (tropics) | humans |
| various spp. | Dirofilaria immitis | dog heartworm | world | dogs |
| Simulium spp. | Onchocerca volvulus | onchocerciasis | Africa, tropical South America | humans |
| Chrysops spp. | Loa loa | loiasis | Africa | humans |
| Hemiptera (true bugs) | Protozoa | |||
| Triatominae spp. | Trypanosoma cruzi | Chagas' disease | South America | humans |
| Siphonaptera (fleas) | Bacteria | |||
|
Xenopsylla spp., primarily X. cheopis  Adult Oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, the primary vector of bubonic plague. |
Yersinia pestis | plague | world | humans |
| Rickettsia | ||||
| various spp. | Rickettsia typhi | murine (flea-borne) typhus | Central & North America, Europe | humans |
| Virus | ||||
| Spilopsyllus cuniculi | myxomatosis virus | myxomatosis | Australia, Europe | rabbits |
