Arthropods: Vectors of Disease Agents

This is the third and final article in a continuing education series on arthropods. The interactions between arthropods and the various etiologic agents they transmit are reviewed. The incidence of arthropod-borne diseases in the United States, the causative agents, and their reservoirs, vectors and transmission mechanisms are summarized in a Table. The ecology of five arthropod-borne diseases - Lyme disease, eastern equine encephalitis, plague, tularemia, and leishmaniasis - is discussed to illustrate the complex, dynamic nature of these disease cycles. The evidence for the lack of arthropod transmission of HIV is examined. The clinical importance of arthropod identification and limited prognostic value of screening for etiologic agents are covered. Author