Vector-borne diseases
Many of the world's most important pathogens use an arthropod vector to transmit between humans. Such vector-borne pathogens, which include Plasmodium falciparum and dengue virus, cause significant morbidity and mortality in the developing world, and many, such as West Nile virus, have recently emerged in Western countries. Because they have such distinctive lifestyles, studying the pathogens alone is not sufficient to devise treatments and preventative strategies; additional factors, such as the biology of the vector itself and the ways in which it is affected by variables such as geography and climate, must also be considered.
In this article series, Nature Reviews Microbiology highlights the distinct features of a range of vector-borne pathogens and the diseases they cause, as well as how the host responds to these infections.
