Mosquito-borne Diseases
Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance – they can transmit pathogens that can cause diseases in humans and animals. West Nile virus is the most prevalent and serious disease transmitted by mosquitoes in California. There is no human vaccine for West Nile virus, which can cause debilitating cases of meningitis, encephalitis, and even death. Below is more information about West Nile virus and how to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites.
Click here for the West Nile Virus factsheet.
- Chikungunya
- Dengue
- Filariasis (canine and feline heartworm)
- Malaria
- Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE)
- West Nile virus (WNV)
- Western Equine encephalitis (WEE)
- Yellow fever
To learn more about mosquito-transmitted diseases, you can visit the website for the California Department of Public Health Vector-borne Disease Section. Learn more about how to protect yourself from mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases and how to prevent mosquito breeding on your property.
Tick-borne Diseases
There are several different types of ticks found in California and they transmit a number of different diseases. Some diseases that ticks can transmit in California are:
- Lyme disease
- Anaplasmosis
- Babesiosis
- Ehrlichiosis
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever
To learn more about tick-transmitted diseases, you can visit the website for the California Department of Public Health Vector-borne Disease Section.
Rodent-transmitted Diseases
There are several different types of disease-transmitting rodents that can be found in California. Some diseases that rodents can transmit in California are:
To learn more about rodent-transmitted diseases, you can visit the website for the California Department of Public Health Vector-borne Disease Section.
See the below interactive map for positive collections of various virus tested mosquitoes, dead birds, and sentinel chickens over time: