arbovirus /är′bōvī″rəs/ , any one of more than 300 viruses transmitted by the saliva of insects. The majority of human infections are asymptomatic, but symptomatic infections can be characterized by fever, rash, and bleeding into the viscera or skin. Some lead to encephalitis with fatality or permanent neurological damage. Vertebrate infection occurs when a contaminated arthropod takes a blood meal. Dengue, yellow fever, and equine encephalitis are three common arboviral infections. Treatment is symptomatic for all arbovirus infections. Vaccines have been developed to prevent infection from some arboviruses. Also called arthropod-borne virus.
