title: 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 not well understood. We studied an array of risk factors in and around Atlanta, GA, that have been shown to be linked with WNV in other locations. This array was comprehensive and included climate and meteorological metrics, vegetation characteristics, land use / land cover analyses, and socioeconomic factors. Data on mosquito abundance and WNV mosquito infection rates were obtained for 58 sites and covered 2009-2011, a period following the combined storm water - sewer overflow remediation in that city. Risk factors were compared to mosquito abundance and the WNV vector index (VI) using regression analyses individually and 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 factors that were most highly correlated (positively) with the VI included the proportion of low income households and homes built before 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 low income households.
authors.affiliation: Auburn University, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lockaby
authors.affiliation: University of Georgia, Odum School of Ecology, Athens, GA, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Navideh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Noori
authors.affiliation: Auburn University, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Wayde
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.affiliation: USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, Gainesville, FL, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zipperer
authors.affiliation: Auburn University, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Latif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kalin
authors.affiliation: Auburn University, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Governo
authors.affiliation: Auburn University, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sawant
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental, Geographical, and Geologic Sciences, Bloomsburg, PA, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002980:Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: West Nile virus; climate induced health risk; forest cover loss; socioeconomic health risk; urbanization; water quality