Name: Anab Munir

Reg. No: BBS193013

Public Health
Assignment #3
Section 1
Submitted to: Ma’am Erum Dilshad
Date: 12/04/22
 VECTOR BORNE DISEASES
In epidemiology, a disease vector is any living agent that carries and transmits an infectious
pathogen to another living organism; agents regarded as vectors are organisms, such as parasites
or microbes.

1. Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a serious disease caused by the yellow fever virus. Most people infected with
yellow fever virus do not get sick or have only mild symptoms. The disease exists in two
transmission cycles. Namely, the sylvatic or Jungle cycle, which occurs between mosquitoes and
non-human primates, and an urban cycle, involving Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and humans. Found
in southwest Ethiopia
In urban areas, humans and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes act as the major reservoir for this fever
whereas in forest areas Vertebrates other than humans (mainly monkeys) and forest mosquitoes
are the major reservoirs.

Mode of Transmission
Yellow fever virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of infected Aedes or
Haemagogus species mosquitoes. Mosquitoes acquire the virus by feeding on infected primates
(human or non-human) and then can transmit the virus to other primates (human or non-human).
Yellow fever virus has three transmission cycles: jungle (sylvatic), inter-mediate (savannah), and
urban.
• The jungle (sylvatic) cycle involves transmission of the virus between non-human primates
(e.g., monkeys) and mosquito species found in the forest canopy.
• In Africa, an intermediate (savannah) cycle exists that involves transmission of virus from
mosquitoes to humans living or working in jungle border areas.
• The urban cycle involves trans-mission of the virus between humans and urban
mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti.
Symptoms
It’s possible to have yellow fever and have no symptoms at all. If you do have signs and symptoms
of yellow fever, they might be less severe or more severe.
Less severe symptoms may include:
• Fever.
• Headache.
• Body ache.
• Tiredness (fatigue).
• Nausea and vomiting.
More severe symptoms include:
• Very high fever.
• Jaundice (your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow).
• Hemorrhage (bleeding).
• Shock.
• Liver failure.
• Kidney failure.
• Death.
About 30% to 60% of the people who have the severe form of yellow fever will die.
Prevention and control
1. Active immunization of all people greater than 9 months of age necessarily exposed to
infection because of residence, occupation or travel.
2. Eradication or control of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in urban areas.
3. Sylvatic /Jungle yellow fever- immunization to all people in rural communities whose
occupation brings them into forests in yellow fever areas and for people who visit those
areas.
4. Notification of the disease to the concerned health authorities.
 2. Lymphatic filariasis

Lymphatic filariasis, considered globally as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is a parasitic

disease caused by microscopic, thread-like worms. The adult worms only live in the human lymph
system. The lymph system maintains the body's fluid balance and fights infections.
Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms)
of the family Filariodidea. There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms: Wuchereria
bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases.

Mode of Transmission
The disease spreads from person to person by mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites a person who
has lymphatic filariasis, microscopic worms circulating in the person’s blood enter and infect the
mosquito. When the infected mosquito bites another person, the microscopic worms pass from the
mosquito through the skin, and travel to the lymph vessels. In the lymph vessels they grow into
adults.

Symptoms

➢ Lymphedema is caused by improper functioning of the lymph system that results in fluid
collection and swelling. This mostly affects the legs, but can also occur in the arms, breasts,
and genitalia. Most people develop these clinical manifestations years after being infected.
 ➢ Men can develop hydrocele or swelling of the scrotum due to infection with one of the
species of parasites that causes LF, specifically W. bancrofti.
➢ Filarial infection can also cause tropical pulmonary eosinophilia syndrome. Eosinophilia
is a higher-than-normal level of disease-fighting white blood cells, called eosinophils. This
syndrome is typically found in infected persons in Asia. Clinical manifestations of tropical
pulmonary eosinophilia syndrome include cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing. The
eosinophilia is often accompanied by high levels of Immunoglobulin E ( IgE) and
antifilarial antibodies.

Prevention and Treatment

Avoiding mosquito bites is the best form of prevention. The mosquitoes that carry the microscopic
worms usually bite between the hours of dusk and dawn. If you live in or travel to an area with
lymphatic filariasis:
• Sleep under a mosquito net.
• Wear long sleeves and trousers.
• Use mosquito repellent on exposed skin between dusk and dawn.

People infected with adult worms can take a yearly dose of medicine, called diethylcarbamazine (DEC),
that kills the microscopic worms circulating in the blood. While this drug does not kill all of the adult
worms, it does prevent infected people from giving the disease to someone else. Prevent the
lymphedema from getting worse by following several basic principles:

• Carefully wash and dry the swollen area with soap and water every day.
• Elevate the swollen arm or leg during the day and at night to move the fluid.
• Perform exercises to move the fluid and improve lymph flow.
• Disinfect any wounds. Use antibacterial or antifungal cream if necessary.
• Wear shoes adapted to the size of the foot to protect the feet from injury.
• Men with hydrocele can undergo surgery to reduce the size of the scrotum.

3. Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that is found in parts of the tropics, subtropics, and southern
Europe. Leishmaniasis is caused by infection with Leishmania parasites, which are spread by the
bite of infected sand flies. There are several different forms of leishmaniasis in people.

Mode of Transmission

Parasite transmission to humans occurs by the bite of an infected sandfly. Sandflies are vectors
of Leishmania, the causative agent of leishmaniasis in mammalian hosts, including humans. The
sandfly becomes infected after biting a parasitized host. Person-to-person transmission by sexual
contact, blood transfusions and the use of contaminated syringes has also been described, but
they are exceptionally rare.

Symptoms
Some people have a silent infection, without any symptoms or signs. People who develop clinical
evidence of infection usually have fever, weight loss, enlargement (swelling) of the spleen and
liver, and abnormal blood tests. People may have low blood counts, including a low red blood cell
count (anemia), a low white blood cell count (leukopenia), and a low platelet count
(thrombocytopenia).

Prevention & Control

No vaccines or drugs to prevent infection are available. The best way for travelers to prevent
infection is to protect themselves from sand fly bites. To decrease the risk of being bitten, follow
these preventive measures:
Avoid outdoor activities, especially from dusk to dawn, when sand flies generally are the most
active.
When outdoors (or in unprotected quarters):
 • Minimize the amount of exposed (uncovered) skin. To the extent that is tolerable in the
climate, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks; and tuck your shirt into your pants.
(See below about wearing insecticide-treated clothing.)
• Apply insect repellent to exposed skin and under the ends of sleeves and pant legs. Follow
the instructions on the label of the repellent. The most effective repellents generally are
those that contain the chemical DEET (N,N-diethylmetatoluamide).
When indoors:
• Stay in well-screened or air-conditioned areas.
• Keep in mind that sand flies are much smaller than mosquitoes and therefore can get
through smaller holes.
• Spray living/sleeping areas with an insecticide to kill insects.
• If you are not sleeping in a well-screened or air-conditioned area, use a bed net and tuck it
under your mattress. If possible, use a bed net that has been soaked in or sprayed with a
pyrethroid-containing insecticide. The same treatment can be applied to screens, curtains,
sheets, and clothing (clothing should be retreated after five washings).

References:
• Rosenberg, R., & Beard, C. B. (2011). Vector-borne infections. Emerging infectious
diseases, 17(5), 769–770. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1705.110310
• Simon, L. V., Hashmi, M. F., & Torp, K. D. (2022). Yellow Fever. In StatPearls. StatPearls
Publishing.
• Medeiros, Z. M., Vieira, A. V. B., Xavier, A. T., Bezerra, G. S. N., Lopes, M. F. C.,
Bonfim, C. V., & Aguiar-Santos, A. M. (2021). Lymphatic Filariasis: A Systematic Review
on Morbidity and Its Repercussions in Countries in the Americas. International journal of
environmental research and public health, 19(1), 316.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010316
• Torres-Guerrero, E., Quintanilla-Cedillo, M. R., Ruiz-Esmenjaud, J., & Arenas, R. (2017).
Leishmaniasis: a review. F1000Research, 6, 750.
https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.11120.1