The Labyrinth

The Indiana State Department of Health Laboratories partners with other public health agencies to provide timely and accurate information needed for surveillance and outbreak investigations to protect and improve Hoosier health.. In the past, many arboviruses have often “disappeared” after causing limited initial outbreaks in human populations, with little evidence of having been an issue until their next resurgence. Recurrences of these diseases have generally been unexpected and unpredictable, with large periods of time (often decades) passing between known episodes. In recent years, however, many arboviral pathogens appear to be returning more frequently and expanding in range. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 17% of global disease is now caused by vector-borne pathogens [1]. Although much of the world’s focus has been upon mosquito-borne arboviral diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, and West Nile, ticks also serve as vectors of pathogens. The greatest number of vector-borne infections in the U.S. is attributed to ticks. They are capable of transmitting bacteria, protozoans, and/or viruses to human populations. Notable tick-borne diseases include babesiosis (protozoal), Lyme (bacterial), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (bacterial), and tick-borne encephalitis (viral) [2].