The Essentials of Vector-Borne Diseases: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and Insurance

Vector-borne diseases affect millions of people every year. These diseases pose a significant public health challenge in India. According to the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control,  approximately 95% of the Indian population lives in malaria-endemic regions. As a result, these diseases are hugely responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates. This article provides a detailed overview of the types, symptoms, causes, and treatment of vector-borne diseases. It also explains the benefits of securing health insurance coverage, which is a must to protect yourself and your family against these diseases.

What is Vector-Borne Disease?

The term ‘vector-borne diseases’ refers to all diseases caused by pathogens, such as viruses, parasites, and bacteria. These pathogens are transmitted from animals to humans, or in some cases, from humans to humans, by vectors. These vectors, usually insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, pick up pathogens from animals. These pathogens are then transmitted to humans through the bites of these vectors. These diseases make people fall ill unknowingly. Some common examples of vector-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, plague, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis. According to the WHO, vector-borne illnesses are responsible for over 7,00,000 fatalities every year around the globe.

Common Diseases and Pathogens

The Causes of Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are caused by the bites of infected insects, or vectors, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, which serve as carriers. These vectors transmit pathogens when they suck human blood. These vectors acquire the pathogens from already-infected hosts and pass them on to other humans.

Several factors, including the breeding environment, regional population density, and rapid urbanisation, influence the spread of vector-borne diseases. The risk of contracting a vector-borne disease is higher in areas where vectors thrive, such as stagnant water bodies, tall grass, and those with frequent outbreaks.

Symptoms: General & Specific

Some of the general symptoms of vector-borne diseases include:

• High fever
• Mild to severe headache
• Intense muscle and joint pain
• Rashes or skin eruptions
• Tiredness and weakness
• Nausea and vomiting

Some of the disease-specific symptoms are:

Malaria:

• Cyclical fever with chills
• Body aches and chest pain
• Diarrhoea
• Jaundice (in severe malaria cases)

Dengue:

• Sudden high fever
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Pain behind the eyeballs
• Muscle and joint pain

Chikungunya:

• Severe joint pain (which can last for weeks)
• High fever
• Skin rashes
• Muscle pain
• Fatigue

Japanese Encephalitis:

• Sudden onset of high fever initially
• Neurological symptoms and movement issues (after a few days)
• Seizures, particularly in children
• If the brain gets infected, the condition may turn fatal

Plague:

• Inflammation of lymph nodes
• Fills the sores with pus
• Pneumonia
• Shortness of breath
• Bloody sputum

Treatment of Vector-Borne Diseases 

Viral vector-borne diseases cannot be treated with specific medications. However, parasitic infections, including malaria, can be treated with drugs like chloroquine and ACTs, which either kill the parasite or inhibit its growth. Bacterial infections, such as the plague, can be treated with antibiotics like doxycycline and chloramphenicol.

The treatment of vector-borne disease also includes the treatment of symptoms. For fever reduction and pain relief, antipyretics and analgesics, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are recommended.

Preventive Measures

We all know that prevention is always better than cure. Given below are a few tips that can help prevent a vector-borne disease:

1. Vector-borne diseases usually do not have a vaccine. However, diseases like yellow fever, encephalitis, and a few more, are exceptions. 
2. Stagnant water bodies are the breeding grounds for vectors. Ensure you remove any stagnant water around your place.
3. Always maintain proper hygiene, particularly in food and dairy products.
4. Cover your body fully to prevent bugs and mosquito bites. Apply insect repellant to the exposed skin.
5. Avoid contact with infected individuals, their blood, and any body fluids.
6. Get vaccinated, and contact your doctor for medicine and treatment recommendations if you are travelling to an endemic region.

The Benefits of Health Insurance Cover

If you contract a vector-borne disease and have to bear the cost of treatment of vector-borne diseases, health insurance coverage is suggested. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that medical bills are not getting cheaper anytime soon. The cost of treatment differs as per your medical history, age, place, and the hospital you choose.

Health insurance for vector-borne diseases offers multiple benefits: 

• India is endemic to several vector-borne diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria, and yellow fever. These diseases often require prolonged treatment. Insurance coverage helps greatly with hospitalisation, medications, and other medical requirements.
• Specialised health insurance for vector-borne diseases is tailored precisely to the needs of all the diseases that it encompasses. This gives you the perfect financial support you may need during the tough times.
• Health insurance is the safest way to ensure the best healthcare facilities without burdening you financially.

Key Takeaways

Vector-borne diseases pose a global health challenge today. Effective management and prevention involve understanding symptoms, causes, and treatments. It also involves using specific medications for parasitic infections and supportive care for viral ones. Preventive measures, public awareness, and adequate health insurance are essential for reducing the incidence and impact of these illnesses. Insurance cover can help you in numerous ways if you contract a vector-borne disease.

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