Mosquitoes and ticks that spread germs (pathogens) are called vectors. A person who gets bitten by a vector and gets sick could have a vector-borne disease (VBD). Infected mosquitoes and ticks transmit many types of vector-borne diseases, some of which are acquired locally in New Jersey and others that occur among returning travelers. The best defense against VBDs is to take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and ticks. 

The Communicable Disease Service has staff dedicated to the monitoring, control and prevention of vector-borne diseases.

Specific activities performed by vector-borne illness staff include:

• Surveillance of vector-borne diseases
• Identifying risk factors
• Monitoring geographic trends
• Providing technical assistance and training
• Educating the public and healthcare partners

May is Tickborne Disease Awareness Month! Below you can view the Governor's Proclamation. Be sure to follow us on social media for our campaign during the month of May. We will focus on topics such as prevention of tickborne diseases, how to remove a tick, and highlight important resources. 

• Governor's Proclamation

Toolkit Creatives (Facebook static ads, Facebook video ads, digital billboards & YouTube video) NEW!

• Tick-borne Diseases: Main Page NEW!
  • Alpha-gal Syndrome
  • Anaplasmosis
  • Babesiosis
  • Borrelia Miyamotoi
  • Ehrlichiosis
  • Lyme Disease
  • Powassan Virus
  • Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis (including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever)
  • Tularemia

• Mosquito-borne Diseases Main Page NEW!
  • Eastern Equine Encephalitis
  • Jamestown Canyon Virus
  • West Nile Virus

Some vector-borne diseases that do not occur in New Jersey but may be identified in travelers returning from other states or countries where these diseases may occur:

• Chikungunya
• Dengue
• Malaria
• Oropouche
• Plague
• St. Louis Encephalitis
• Yellow Fever
• Zika

There are several emerging/reemerging or very rare arboviral diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks that may impact NJ residents. Commercial testing may not be widely available, but specialized testing at public health laboratories can be provided for these diseases. Clinicians who would like to request arboviral disease testing should complete the Arboviral Testing Request worksheet and send via encrypted email to CDSVectorTeam@doh.nj.gov. Arboviral testing can be requested for patients who are hospitalized with neuroinvasive disease (e.g., encephalitis, meningitis, acute flaccid paralysis) of unknown etiology or, for patients presenting with a febrile illness of unknown etiology if an arboviral disease is suspected.

To request Zika virus testing, please click here.

To request Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis testing, please click here. 

Ill or Dead Bird Reports

NJDOH no longer tests birds for West Nile Virus, but if you find an ill or dead bird on your property, you should report it to your county mosquito control agency who will use that information as a part of West Nile Virus mosquito surveillance efforts and the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife.

For reports of sick or dead domestic poultry, including gamebirds, backyard poultry and exhibition poultry, please contact New Jersey Department of Agriculture immediately at (609) 671-6400.

• Tutorial: JerseySurv Tick Collection and Pool Entry
• Webinar: "Tick-borne Diseases: What NJ Public Health Professionals Need to Know" (5/22/18)
• Webinar: "Tick-borne Diseases in New Jersey: Clinician Challenges" (5/23/19)