arbovirus infections

International Common Names

• English: arthropod-borne virus infections

African horse sickness virus
Akabane virus
bluetongue virus
Chuzan virus
Colorado tick fever virus
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus
dengue virus
eastern equine encephalitis virus
epizootic haemorrhagic disease viruses
equine encephalosis virus
Japanese encephalitis virus
Kyasanur Forest disease virus
la Crosse virus
Langat virus
louping ill virus
Nairobi sheep disease virus
Negishi virus
Omsk haemorrhagic fever virus
Powassan virus
Rift Valley fever virus
tickborne encephalitis virus
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus
West Nile virus
western equine encephalitis virus
yellow fever virus

Arboviruses represent a grouping of viruses based on epidemiological criteria. Arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) infect vertebrates by bites of blood-feeding arthropod vectors. Subsequently a viraemia develops of sufficient magnitude to infect other blood-feeding arthropods. In the arthropod vector virus replication is initiated and the cycle thus is perpetuated. Arboviruses are included in the virus families of Togaviridae, Flaviviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Bunyaviridae, Reoviridae (genera Orbivirus and Coltivirus) and Asfarviridae.

Arboviruses are maintained in cycles of arthropods-vertebrates-arthropods, and are subsequently mainly dependent in the geographical and ecological niche, and the active periods of the representative arthropod virus vectors. Vectors are most commonly blood-sucking insects (notably including mosquitoes), but also include ticks and mites. Wild birds are often the reservoir hosts for viruses.

Many arbovirus infections are emerging diseases and zoonoses.

See also seperate data sheets on different diseases and agents.