Vectors are the lifeforms that can spread contagious infections from animals to people or between humans. Many of these vectors are blood-sucking insects that take in disease-causing bacteria from an infected host (human or animal) during a blood meal. Once the pathogen has multiplied, it is then transferred into a new host by the vector. A vector is frequently able to transmit the infection for the rest of their lives at each subsequent bite or blood meal once they become infectious.

Human illnesses caused by parasites, viruses, and bacteria that are spread by vectors are known as vector-borne diseases. Diseases like malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and onchocerciasis cause more than 700,000 deaths annually. Genes2Me offers numerous rapid antigen test kits to simplify the diagnosis of these vector borne diseases.