After the COVID pandemic, there has been an increase in awareness about viral infections. Awareness is the beginning of any type of progress, including health and wellness.
What are Vector-Borne diseases?
As per WHO definition, vector-borne diseases are illnesses in humans caused due to parasites, viruses, and bacteria that are transmitted by vectors. And, what are vectors? Vectors are vehicles in the form of mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas that spread pathogens. A person who gets bitten by a vector and gets sickness has a vector-borne disease.
How prevalent are vector-borne diseases?
Vector-borne diseases are one of the most common health problems in India. It is often associated with a lot of financial burden on affected individuals and families. In the past few years, there has been a rapid increase in the occurrence of many vector-borne diseases mainly due to population growth, rapid unplanned urbanization, globalization, and lack of public health infrastructure.
Types and list of vector-borne diseases
● Mosquito (Aedes) Chikungunya
● Mosquito (Aedes) Dengue
● Mosquito (Aedes) Lymphatic filariasis
● Mosquito (Aedes) Rift Valley fever
● Mosquito (Aedes) Yellow Fever
● Mosquito (Aedes) Zika
● Mosquito (Anopheles) Lymphatic filariasis
● Mosquito (Anopheles) Malaria
● Mosquito (Culex) Japanese encephalitis
● Mosquito (Culex) Lymphatic filariasis
● Mosquito (Culex) West Nile fever
● Aquatic snails Schistosomiasis
● Blackflies Onchocerciasis (river blindness)
● Fleas Plague
● Fleas Tungiasis
● Lice Typhus
● Lice Louse-borne relapsing fever
● Sandflies Leishmaniasis
● Sandflies Sandfly fever
● Ticks Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
● Ticks Lyme disease
● Ticks Relapsing fever (borreliosis)
● Ticks Rickettsia diseases (eg: spotted fever and Q fever)
● Ticks Tick-borne encephalitis
● Ticks Tularemia
● Triatome bugs Chagas disease
Prevention of vector-borne diseases
Get vaccinated:
If you live in an area that has a higher risk of vector-borne diseases then you should get vaccinated under a doctor’s supervision and guidance. There are various government programs running for awareness of such conditions. If you’re traveling to any city or country that has a higher risk of disease then get vaccinated before traveling there. You need to ensure you are vaccinated well ina advance before travel and get your doctor’s consultation on any medicines and other precautions you may need before and during your travel.
Quarantine
Avoid any contact with blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected people or animals. If your family members are infected follow the appropriate quarantine.
Maintain strict hygiene:
Make sure you follow hygiene guidelines always. This includes the hygiene of food. Avoid any unpasteurized dairy products in areas where tick-borne encephalitis can be transmitted.
Wear well-covered clothes & use insect repellents creams:
If you live in a high-risk area or it’s the season for a particular disease then wear light-colored, long-sleeved clothes and use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing to protect yourself from vector contacts like being bitten by mosquitoes, sandflies, or ticks.
IQ Diagnostics, a leading diagnostic lab based out of Noida, offers a range of tests to help you diagnose and monitor vector-borne diseases. You can Click Here for more details.