Basic and Clinical Practices

Discussion board chapter 9 (Classmate Response #1)Kiet

Question 9.2. Describe three specific things that you can do to protect yourself from vectorborne illnesses

Vectorborne illnesses are diseases spread out by vector transmission. Some of example of vectors are arthropods, rodents, and mosquitoes that spread infectious pathogens to other susceptible hosts. According to CDC, some of the vector-borne diseases reported by states are California serogroup virus, chikungunya virus, degue viruses, Eastern quine encephalitis virus, malaria plasmodium, West Nile virus, and yellow fever virus. Some of more recently common vectorborne illnesses are Zika, dengue, lyme or plahue.

There are some of the tips that can help to prevent infectious from vectorborne illnesses. Before you travel, take vaccination against diseases that are prevalent at your destination. Vaccines exist for tick-borne encephalitis, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis. In addition, when you come back from the trip, especially, out of the country trips, consult your doctor and perform any test that proper to the particular diseases you might get from your trips.

Another tips that can help to protect yourself from vectorborne illnesses when your living and working is use indoor residual spraying with long-lasting insecticides on internal walls, ceilings and eaves to reduce biting. An example of mosquito control is by using larvacide pellets which contains chemicals such as biopesticides, and methoprene and the bacterium such as Bacillus thuringiensis. This method control mosquito populations by killing the mosquito without any harm to environment.

In addition, at place that vectors are usually prevalent, we should wear light-color, long trousers and long-sleeved shirts, tucked into boots or socks to limit the skin exposed, use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing to prevent from being bitten by ticks, sandflies and mosquitoes. Do as much as you can to limit the injection of vectors to your skin to limit vectorborne illnesses.

Kiet Tran


Illnesses on the rise. CDC. May 1, 2018.

Text: Microbiology: Basic and Clinical Practice.; 1st Edition. Norman and Mckay. Pages 280.

Question # 9.1 (Classmate #2)Shelby

Why do you think that specific animals are subject to importation regulations by the CDC, while others, like horses, are not?

When traveling with a pet to certain countries, you may not even be allowed to bring your pet in, unless they are quarantined. This may make you think twice before bringing your furry companion. Certain animals are more prone to getting or carry certain diseases then others. A couple examples of popular pets with strict regulations are dogs, cats, and reptiles. However, animals such as horses, fish, and ferrets have no CDC regulations.

The guidelines laid out by the CDC may differ from each animal. For example, dogs are required to have rabies vaccinations 30 days prior to leaving the country because the shot takes that long to take effect. However, cats are not required by the CDC to have a rabies shot. Another example is there is a regulation of turtles and how many can be imported at a time because it was discovered that small turtles more prone to carrying Samella. When it comes to horses which have no CDC regulations if the horse has no history of transmittable diseases it will not be regulated by the CDC.

Some of the reasons that I feel like certain animals are more prone to getting and transmitting diseases are because of their diet and living conditions. For example, animals such as dogs and cats are scavengers that tend to eat what they can find such as garbage and animal carcasses. Snakes and Turtles where their diet isn’t the best they are constantly in touch with the bacteria’s that linger on the ground and carry them from one location to another making them a danger for carrying diseases. Monkeys and other foreign mammals possibly have the strictest of regulations because of both their diet and there living conditions. They are the most susceptible to diseases because they are exposed to all the bacteria in their ecosystem and between touching everything including bugs, tree algae, and their own feces they can be a danger to anyone who they meet.

In conclusion, since specific animals can be exposed to bad living conditions and poor diets. This makes them a target in the CDC eyes to be strict on their regulations. I know it is probably hard to believe your furry companion could give you certain diseases, but vaccines are the key. To help prevent an outbreak in the United States, CDC guidelines must be followed. So before traveling, be sure to research the CDC information.


Importation. (2018, May 31). Retrieved from

Norman-McKay, L. (2018). Microbiology: Basic and Clinical Principals, 1e. 1st ed. New York: Pearson, p.270.