Which of the following best describes transmission of African Horse Sickness?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes transmission of African Horse Sickness?

African Horse Sickness is transmitted mainly by arthropod vectors, specifically biting midges in the genus Culicoides. These tiny insects feed on an infected horse, pick up the virus, and then pass it to other horses when they feed again. This makes the disease a vector-borne infection, concentrated around vector activity and geography, rather than spreading through direct horse-to-horse contact, contaminated water, or long-distance aerosols. Understanding this highlights why controlling biting midges and their activity is key to preventing outbreaks, alongside vaccination and movement controls.

African Horse Sickness is transmitted mainly by arthropod vectors, specifically biting midges in the genus Culicoides. These tiny insects feed on an infected horse, pick up the virus, and then pass it to other horses when they feed again. This makes the disease a vector-borne infection, concentrated around vector activity and geography, rather than spreading through direct horse-to-horse contact, contaminated water, or long-distance aerosols. Understanding this highlights why controlling biting midges and their activity is key to preventing outbreaks, alongside vaccination and movement controls.

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