Image: Wikimedia Commons

vector

Agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism

EntityQ107994

Also known as disease vector · disease vectors

Subclass of: organism
, source of infection

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

In epidemiology, a disease vector is any living agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen such as a parasite or microbe, to another living organism. Many familiar vectors, such as mosquitos, ticks, and certain flies rely on blood-feeding and can acquire or pass on pathogens during that process. Disease vectors remain a major global health challenge. The World Health Organization reports that these illnesses make up over 17% of all infectious diseases worldwide, and are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. The term is also used for some insects and other organisms that transmit plant pathogens to crops.

Overview

All data

24 statements · 29% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Facet of: epidemiology
Different from: genetic vector
Said to be the same as: Q11385914
Main Wikidata property: has biological vector
Handled, mitigated, or managed by: vector control
1
Sources
1.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6964823/
View statement on Wikidata ↗

On other databases

16 identifiers linking vector across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

29%

externally sourced

Source last edited August 4, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). vector (Q107994). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/vector-Q107994