arbovirus

noun

Meaning

A virus transmitted to humans or other vertebrates by blood-feeding arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, or sandflies.

Examples

  • West Nile virus is a well-known type of arbovirus that can cause neurological illness in humans.
  • Researchers are studying how climate change might expand the geographical range of various arboviruses.

Synonyms: virus, pathogen, vector-borne virus, zoonosis