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Insectborne Disease
Insectborne Disease
in this arena will likely stimulate the development of improved treatments for
infectious diseases in general, which will likely plague mankind for the fore-
seeable future.
General
The diseases transmitted by arthropods, commonly known as insectborne dis-
eases, are those diseases that are usually transmitted by biting insects from
person to person or from animal to person. The ordinary housefly and roach,
mechanical carriers of many disease agents, are discussed separately in Chap-
ter 10 of the fourth edition. Zoonoses are defined as ‘‘those diseases and
infections which are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and
man.’’* 154
Insectborne Diseases
A list of insectborne diseases together with their important reservoirs is given
in Tables 1-11, 1-12, and 1-13. The list is not complete but includes some of
the common as well as less known diseases. Tick- or fleaborne diseases may
be spread directly by the bite of the tick or flea and indirectly by crushing
the insect into the wound made by the bite. Usually mosquitoes, lice, ticks,
TABLE 1-11 Some Exotic Insectborne Diseases (Not Normally Found in the
United States)
Incubation
Disease Period Reservoir Vector
Bartonellosis 16–22 days Man Sandflies (Phlebotomus)
Leishmaniasis
cutaneous Days to months Animals, dogs Sandflies (Phlebotomus)
Visceral 2–4 months Man, dogs, cats, Sandflies (Phlebotomus)
wild rodents
Loiasis (Loa loa) Years Man Chrysops. blood-
sucking flies
Sandfly fever 3–4 days Man, sandfly Sandfly (Phlebotomus)
Relapsing fever 5–15 days Man, ticks, rodents Lice, crushed in wound;
ticks
Trench fever 7–30 days Man Lice, crushed in wound
(Pediculus humanus)
Source: Ref. 3.
*WHO Tech. Rep. Ser., 378, 6 (1967) considers the definition too wide but recommends no change.
TABLE 1-12 Characteristics of Some Insectborne Disease
Incubation
Disease Etiologic Agent Reservoir Transmission Period Controla
Endemic typhus Rickettsia typhi (R. Infected rodents, Rattus Bite or feces of rat flea Xenopsylla 7–14 days, First, elimination of rat flea by
(murine) mouseri) also possibly rattus and Rattus cheopis; also possibly ingestion usually 12 insecticide applied to rat runs,
(fleaborne)b Ctenocephalides felis norvegicus, also or inhalation of dust days burrows, and harborages, then rat
fleas, possibly contaminated with flea feces or control. Spray kennels, beds, floor
opossums urine. cracks.
Epidemic typhus Rickettsia prowazeki Infected persons and Crushing infected body lice 7–14 days, Insecticidal treatment of clothing and
(louseborne) infected lice Pediculus humanus or feces into usually 12 bedding; personal hygiene, bathing,
bite, abrasions, or eyes. Possibly days elimination of overcrowding.
louse feces in dust. Immunization. Delousing of
individuals in outbreaks.
Bubonic plague Pasteurella pestis, Wild rodents and Bite of infective flea X. cheopis, 2–6 days Immunization. Surveys in endemic
plague bacillus infected fleas scratching feces into skin, areas. Chemical destruction of flea.
(Yersinia pestis) handling wild animals, Community hygiene and sanitation;
occasionally bedbug and human rat control. (Plague in wild rodents
flea; pneumonic plague spread called sylvatic plague.)
person to person.
Q fever Coxiella burneti Infected wild animals Airborne rickettsias in or near 2–3 weeks Immunization of persons in close
(Rickettsia burneti) (bandicoots); cattle, premises contaminated by contact with rickettsias or possibly
sheep, goats, ticks, placental tissues; raw milk from infected animals. Pasteurization of
carcasses of infected infected cows, direct contact all milk at 145⬚F for 30 min or
animals with infected animals or meats 161⬚F for 15 sec.
Rocky Mountain Rickettsia rickettsii Infected ticks, dog Bite of infected tick or crushed 3–10 days Avoid tick-infested areas and crushing
spotted fever ticks, wood ticks, tick blood or feces in scratch or tick in removal; clear harborages;
Lone Star ticks wound. insecticides.
Colorado tick Colorado tick fever virus Infected ticks and Bite of infected tick, Dermacentor 4–5 days See Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
small animals andersoni
Tularemia Franciscella tularensis Wild animals, rabbits, Bite of infected flies or ticks, 1–10 days, Avoid bites of ticks, flies. Use rubber
(Pasteurella muskrats; also wood handling infected animals. usually 3 gloves in dressing wild animals;
tularensis) ticks Ingestion of contaminated water days avoid contaminated water;
or insufficiently cooked rabbit thoroughly cook rabbit meat.
meat.
Rickettsial-pox Rickettsia akari Infected house mice; Bite of infective rodent mites 10–24 days Mouse and mite control. Apply
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