What We Do & How We Do It

DVBD is a national and international leader in researching, detecting, and preventing vector-borne diseases. Our staff includes entomologists, epidemiologists, laboratorians, microbiologists, molecular biologists, physicians, veterinarians, virologists, and zoologists. Key activities:

• Develop cutting-edge laboratory tests and improve existing tests for rapid identification and diagnosis of new and known vector-borne diseases
• Discover vector-borne pathogens by using traditional laboratory methods and state-of-the art advanced molecular detection methods
• Quickly detect threats by working with health departments to monitor vector-borne diseases
  • An arbovirus is a virus spread by arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas. To learn more about arboviruses, the CDC and state health departments manage a national surveillance system called ArboNET. Healthcare professionals from all 50 states and the US territories report to ArboNET cases of people sick from arboviruses like West Nile or Zika. It is also used to track arbovirus infections in donated blood, mosquitoes, dead birds, and sentinel animals.
  • TickNET leads collaborative research on tickborne diseases.
  • The CDC created and maintains a national surveillance system called MosquitoNET. MosquitoNET is an online, centralized database developed to track, report, and store information regarding mosquito collections and insecticide resistance detected through testing with the CDC Bottle Bioassay. Participating agencies set up and manage individual accounts in the database to view, add, and edit mosquito surveillance and insecticide resistance data.
• Protect people and animals from vector-borne diseases by developing insect repellents, insecticides, and vaccines that can prevent infection
• Respond to emerging threats and outbreaks by partnering with state, local, territorial, and tribal health departments, industry, and international partners, such as the World Health Organization
• Educate and train the public, healthcare providers, laboratory workers, Congress, and other key audiences.