Zoonotic Disease Program
Vector-borne Disease Laboratory

The Zoonotic Disease Program, Vector-borne Disease Laboratory, works to prevent the spread of diseases by insects and other arthropods from animals to human beings. A vector is an arthropod (insect, tick, mosquito, etc) which becomes infected with a disease-causing virus, rickettsia, or bacterium and can transmit that infection to a human or other animal.

The Zoonotic Disease Program monitors a number of diseases, including those transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes. These include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme disease, and St. Louis, Eastern equine, La Crosse and West Nile encephalitis. The Vector-borne Disease Lab monitors the occurrence of disease vectors, provides programs for surveillance of vector-borne diseases through laboratory testing of mosquitoes for infectious viruses, conducts laboratory testing of animal tissues for evidence of infection, provides consultation in prevention and control of arthropod vectors and pests, and provides a service of arthropod identification.

Mailing address for ticks & insects

Ohio Department of Health
8955 E. Main Street, Building 22
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

Last Updated: 4/28/2008 
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