Arbovirus, acronym derived from arthropod-borne virus, any of a group of RNA viruses that develop in arthropods (chiefly blood-sucking mosquitoes and ticks), ...ArbovirusArticleAdditionalInfoHomeScienceBiologyFungi,Protists&VirusesArbovirusvirusPrintCiteverifiedCiteWhileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies.Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions.SelectCitationStyleMLAAPAChicagoManualofStyleCopyCitationShareShareSharetosocialmediaFacebookTwitterURLhttps://www.britannica.com/science/arbovirusMoreGiveFeedbackFeedbackCorrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin).FeedbackTypeSelectatype(Required)FactualCorrectionSpelling/GrammarCorrectionLinkCorrectionAdditionalInformationOtherYourFeedbackSubmitFeedbackThankyouforyourfeedbackOureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle.JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork!ExternalWebsitesWRITTENBYTheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannicaEncyclopaediaBritannica'seditorsoverseesubjectareasinwhichtheyhaveextensiveknowledge,whetherfromyearsofexperiencegainedbyworkingonthatcontentorviastudyforanadvanceddegree....SeeArticleHistoryAlternativeTitle:arthropod-bornevirusArbovirus,acronymderivedfromarthropod-bornevirus,anyofagroupofRNAvirusesthatdevelopinarthropods(chieflyblood-suckingmosquitoesandticks),inwhichtheycausenoapparentharm,andaresubsequentlytransmittedbybitestovertebratehosts,inwhichtheyestablishinfectionsandcompletetheirgrowthcycle.Thegroupincludestheagentsresponsibleforyellowfever,equineencephalitis,dengue,WestNilevirus,Powassanvirusdisease,andloupingill.Thespheroidalvirusparticleisenvelopedinafattymembrane,variesinsizefrom30to100nm(1nm=10−9metre)across,andcontainsribonucleicacid(RNA).Someregionsofthetropics,locallyrichinarboviruses,presentacomplicatedpictureoftheecologicalnetofarthropodcarrier,vertebratehost,andtheenvironment.Th