VECTORS DISEASE (S)

Black flies (Simulium spp.) Onchocerciasis (“river blindness”)

Cyclops spp. Fish tapeworm infection, guinea worm infection

Fleas Dog tapeworm infection, endemic typhus, murine typhus, plague

Lice Epidemic relapsing fever, epidemic typhus, trench fever

Mites Rickettsial pox, scrub typhus

Mosquitoes Dengue fever, filariasis (“elephantiasis”), malaria, viral encephalitis,

yellow fever
ARTHROPODS THAT SERVE AS VECTORS OF HUMAN INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Antifungal Agents
DRUG FUNGAL DISEASE(S) THAT THE DRUG IS USED TO
TREAT
Amphotericin B Aspergillosis, blastomycosis, invasive candidiasis,
coccidioidomycosis,
cryptococcosis, fusariosis, histoplasmosis, mucormycosis,
paracoccidioidomycosis, penicilliosis, systemic sporotrichosis
Atovaquone Pneumocystis pneumonia
Echinocandins Aspergillosis, candidiasis
Fluconazole Blastomycosis; oropharyngeal, esophageal, and invasive candidiasis;
coccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis, fusariosis, histoplasmosis,
sporotrichosis
Flucytosine Candidiasis, chromoblastomycosis, cryptococcosis
Griseofulvin Dermatomycosis (less toxic drugs are available, however)

Itraconazole Aspergillosis, blastomycosis, invasive candidiasis,

coccidioidomycosis,
cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, paracoccidioidomycosis,
penicilliosis,
pseudallescheriasis, scedosporiosis, cutaneous or systemic
sporotrichosis

Ketoconazole Blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis,

paracoccidioidomycosis

Terbinafine Dermatomycosis

Trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole Pneumocystis pneumonia

Voriconazole Aspergillosis, invasive candidiasis, scedosporiasis

Antiviral Agents
VIRUS/VIRAL INFECTION(s) ANTIVIRAL AGENTS
Acyclovir, cidofovir, famciclovir, fomivirsen, foscarnet,
Herpes simplex infections
ganciclovir,
 penciclovir, valacyclovir, valganciclovir, vidarabine
Amantadine (influenza A virus), oseltamivir (influenza A and B
Respiratory viruses
viruses),
ribavirin (respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and B viruses,
parainfluenza virus), rimantadine (influenza A virus), zanamivir
(influenza A and B viruses)
Abacavir, didanosine, lamivudine, stavudine, tenofovir,
HIV: nucleoside reverse transcriptase
zalcitabine,
inhibitors
zidovudine (AZT, ZDV)

HIV: nonnucleoside reverse

Delavirdine, efavirenz, nevirapine
transcriptase inhibitors

Amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir

HIV: protease inhibitors

Common Routes of Transmission of Infectious Diseases

ROUTE OF EXIT ROUTE OF TRANSMISSION OR DISEASES
ENTRY
Skin Skin discharge → air → respiratory Chickenpox, colds, influenza, measles, staph
Tract Skin to skin and strep infections Impetigo, eczema, boils,
warts, syphilis
Respiratory Aerosol droplet inhalation Colds, influenza, pneumonia, mumps, measles,
Nose or mouth → hand or object → nose chickenpox, tuberculosis
Gastrointestinal Feces → hand → mouth Gastroenteritis, hepatitis, salmonellosis,
Stool → soil, food, or water → mouth shigellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, giardiasis,
amebiasis
Salivary Direct salivary transfer Herpes cold sore, infectious mononucleosis,
strep throat
Genital secretions Urethral or cervical secretions Gonorrhea, herpes, Chlamydia infection
Semen Cytomegalovirus infection, AIDS, syphilis, warts
Blood Transfusion or needle stick injury Hepatitis B, cytomegalovirus infection, malaria,
Insect bite AIDS Malaria relapsing fever
Zoonotic Animal bite Contact with animal Rabies Tularemia, anthrax Rocky Mountain
Carcasses Arthropod spotted fever, Lyme disease, typhus, viral
encephalitis, yellow fever, malaria, plague

Pathogens Commonly Transmitted via Food and Water

PATHOGENS
Campylobacte
Jejuni (bacterium)
Cryptosporidium
parvum (protozoan)
Cyclospora
cayetanensis (protozoan)
E. coli O157:H7 (bacterium)
VEHICLE COMMENTS
Chickens
Drinking water Highly resistant to disinfectants
used to purify drinking water
Drinking water, raspberries
Meats, produce contaminated by manure
 in growing fields (e.g., sprouts), drinking
water
Giardia lamblia (also called Drinking water Moderately resistant to
Giardi intestinalis) Disinfectants used to purify drinking
(protozoan) water
Listeria monocytogenes Soft cheeses and deli meats
(bacterium)
Salmonella enteritidis Eggs
(bacterium)
Salmonella typhimurium DT Unpasteurized milk Resistant to many antibiotics
104 (bacterium)
Shigella spp. (bacteria) Drinking water

Critical Biological Agent Categories for Public Health Preparedness

BIOLOGICAL AGENT(S) DISEASE
Category A – Agents having the Variola major Smallpox
greatest potential for adverse Bacillus anthracis Anthrax
public health impact; most require Yersinia pestis Plague
broad-based public health Botulism (botulinal toxins)
Clostridium botulinum
preparedness efforts Tularemia
Fransicella tularensis Viral hemorrhagic fevers
Filoviruses and arenaviruses
(e.g., Ebola virus, Lassa virus)
Category B – Agents having a Coxiella burnetii Q fever
moderate to high potential for Brucella spp. Brucellosis
large-scale dissemination or a Burkholderia mallei Glanders
heightened general public health Melioidosis
Burkholderia pseudomallei
awareness that could cause mass Encephalitis
public fear and civil disruption  
Alphaviruses (Venezuela equine, Typhus fever
eastern equine, and western Toxic syndromes
equine encephalitis viruses)  
 
Rickettsia prowazekii Toxins Psittacosis
(e.g., ricin [from castor oil plant],
staphylococcal enterotoxin B)
Chlamydophila psittaci
Food safety treats
(e.g., Salmonella spp., Escherichia
coli O157:H7)
Water safety treats (e.g., Vibria
cholera, Cryptosporidium parvum)
Category C – Agents currently not Emerging threat agents (e.g.,  
believed to present a high Nipah virus, hantavirus)
bioterrorism risk to public health,
but could emerge as future threats
Examples of Zoonotic Diseases
CATEGORY DISEASE PATHOGEN ANIMAL RESERVOIRS MODE
OF TRANSMISSION
Viral Diseases Avian influenza (bird flu) An influenza virus Birds Direct or indirect contact
with infected birds
Lassa Fever Lassa virus Wild Rodents Inhalation of contaminated
dust or aerosol
 Rabies Rabies virus Rabiddogs, cats, Animal bites or inhalation
skunks,
foxes,wolves
raccoons,
coyotes, bats
Yellow Fever Yellow fever virus Monkeys Aedes aegypti mosquito
bite
Bacterial Anthrax Bacillus anthracis Cattle, sheep, goats Inhalation, ingestions, entry
Diseases through cuts, contact with
mucous membranes

Bovine tubercolosis Mycobacterium bovis Cattle ingestion

Campylobacter infection Campylobacter spp. Wild mammals, cattle, sheep, pets Ingestion of contaminated
food and water
Cat-scratch disease Bartonella henselae Domestic cats Cat scratch, bite, or lick

Leptospirosis Leptospira spp. Cattle, rodents, dogs Contact with contaminated

animal urine
Plague Yersinia pestis Rodents Flea bite

Psittacosis Chlamydophila Parrots Inhalation of contaminated

dust and aerosols
Rickettsial pox Rickettsia akari Rodents Mite bite

Salmonellosis Salmonella spp. Poultry, livestock, reptiles Ingestion of contaminated

food, handling reptiles
Fungal Tinea (rignworm) Various dermatophytes Various animals to defense dogs Contact with infected
Disease infections animals
Protozoan Babesiosis Babesia microti Deer, mice, voles Tick bite
Diseases
Toxoplasmosis Toxoplasma gondii Cats, pigs, sheep, Ingestion of oocytes in cat
rarely cattle feces or cysts in raw or
undercooked meat

Helminth Rat tapeworm infection Hymenolepis diminuta Rodents Ingestion of beetle

Disease containing the larval stage
Dog tapeworm Dipylidium caninum Dogs, cats Ingestion of flea containing
infection the larval stage