What disease is caused by various viruses and transmitted to humans by mosquitoes and ticks?

The disease caused by various viruses and transmitted to humans by mosquitoes and ticks is arthropod-borne encephalitis. This group of viral infections is characterized by inflammation of the brain and can be severe and life-threatening. Several types of arthropod-borne encephalitis viruses, such as Eastern equine encephalitis virus and Western equine encephalitis virus, are spread by mosquito bites.

This transmission mechanism is crucial as it distinguishes arthropod-borne encephalitis from other diseases. While Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks, it is caused by a specific bacterium rather than a virus. The West Nile virus is indeed one of the viral infections that can cause encephalitis, but it is more accurate to refer to the broader category of arthropod-borne encephalitis when discussing diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks. Malaria, on the other hand, is caused by a parasite and transmitted specifically by mosquitoes, not by ticks. Thus, arthropod-borne encephalitis encompasses a wider range of viral diseases transmitted by these vectors.