Vector-borne disease testing: The right test, the right patient, the right geographic area
StaY ahead of the spread with comprehensive testing
Climate change continues to enable the world’s smallest predators to move into previously uninhabitable regions. As ticks, mosquitoes, and other arthropod vectors migrate into and expand throughout new geographic areas, so too have the diseases they carry. While many vector-borne infections are not serious, some can become life-threatening. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 179 U.S. individuals died from West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease in 2023.1 Staying up to date and educated on which vector-borne diseases are present in your region is the first step toward identifying appropriate testing to accurately diagnose patients.
Learn more about the ticks in your region
The presence of new and abundant tick species throughout North America has driven an increase in the diseases they carry. Because many vectors can transmit more than one disease-causing agent, the types of diseases occurring in certain regions are expanding as pests migrate to new regions. Learn more about the ticks that live in each region.
Combatting vector-borne disease through advanced diagnostic testing
Guided by an algorithmic approach that supports providing the right test to the right patient based on their geographic region of exposure, our robust vector-borne disease testing menu spans the gamut of both individual tests and panels for the detection of possible co-infections. Our test menu covers a wide range of diseases and includes testing for endemic illnesses such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease, as well as tests for emerging and esoteric diseases such as alpha-gal syndrome, Powassan virus, spotted fever Rickettsia, ehrlichiosis, and tularemia, among others. We also offer testing for diseases imported by travelers, such as Chagas disease, Zika virus, dengue virus, and malaria. Providing physicians with the tools to accurately diagnose their patients enables clarity that sets patients on a path toward healing.
Tiny creatures, massive impact
From the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific coast, the southern U.S. border to the Canadian provinces, disease-carrying insects and arachnids abound. Click on your region for a deep dive into which pests and illnesses are present in each area and which tests to order.
U.S. Northeast
In the states that comprise the Northeast, several tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, Borrelia miyamotoi disease, Powassan virus, and babesiosis, are endemic. Among mosquito-borne illnesses, West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis virus are the most prevalent.
U.S. South
The most common mosquito-borne illness in the Southern U.S. is West Nile virus, but cases of La Crosse encephalitis have also been reported. Among tick-borne illnesses, Lyme disease and spotted fever Rickettsia are the most common.
U.S. West
States in the Western U.S. report West Nile virus as the most common mosquito-borne disease. Among tick-borne illnesses, Lyme disease and spotted fever Rickettsia have the highest prevalence.
Canada
In the central Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, West Nile virus and Jamestown Canyon virus are the most frequently reported mosquito-borne illnesses. Among tick-borne illnesses, Lyme disease is most common and primarily occurs in the eastern province of Nova Scotia and the central provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Anaplasmosis cases are also reported in Ontario and Quebec.
Resources
References
- West Nile Virus Historic Data (1991-2023). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/historic-data.html. Updated Feb. 28, 2025. Accessed April 4, 2025.
- Climate and Infectious Diseases. National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Diseases (NCEZID). U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/topics-programs/climate-infectious-disease.html. Updated March 21, 2024. Accessed April 23, 2025.
- Lyme Disease Surveillance and Data. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/topics-programs/climate-infectious-disease.html. Updated March 13, 2025. Accessed April 23, 2025.