Climatic, ecological, and socioeconomic factors associated with West Nile virus incidence in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.

Abstract

The integrated effects of the many risk factors associated with West Nile virus (WNV) incidence are complex and notwell understood. We studied an array of risk factors in and around Atlanta, GA, that have been shown to be linked with WNV inother locations. This array was comprehensive and included climate and meteorological metrics, vegetation characteristics, landuse / land cover analyses, and socioeconomic factors. Data on mosquito abundance and WNV mosquito infection rates wereobtained for 58 sites and covered 2009-2011, a period following the combined storm water – sewer overflow remediation in thatcity. Risk factors were compared to mosquito abundance and the WNV vector index (VI) using regression analyses individuallyand in combination. Lagged climate variables, including soil moisture and temperature, were significantly correlated (positively)with vector index as were forest patch size and percent pine composition of patches (both negatively). Socioeconomic factorsthat were most highly correlated (positively) with the VI included the proportion of low income households and homes builtbefore 1960 and housing density. The model selected through stepwise regression that related risk factors to the VI included(in the order of decreasing influence) proportion of houses built before 1960, percent of pine in patches, and proportion of lowincome households.

Citation

Lockaby, Graeme; Noori, Navideh; Morse, Wayde; Zipperer, Wayne; Kalin, Latif; Governo, Robin; Sawant, Rajesh; Ricker, Matthew. 2016.Climatic, ecological, and socioeconomic factors associated with West Nile virus incidence in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.. Journal of Vector Ecology. 41(2): 232-243. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvec.12218.