Higher Mosquito Production in Low-Income Neighborhoods of Baltimore and Washington, DC: Understanding Ecological Drivers and Mosquito-Borne Disease Risk in Temperate Cities

Abstract

Mosquito-vectored pathogens are responsible for devastating human diseases and are (re)emerging in many urban environments. Effective mosquito control in urban landscapes relies on improved understanding of the complex interactions between the ecological and social factors that define where mosquito populations can grow. We compared the density of mosquito habitat and pupae production across economically varying neighborhoods in two temperate U.S. cities (Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC). Seven species of mosquito larvae were recorded. The invasive Aedes albopictus was the only species found in all neighborhoods. Culex pipiens, a primary vector of West Nile virus (WNV), was most abundant in Baltimore, which also had more tire habitats. Both Culex and Aedes pupae were more likely to be sampled in neighborhoods categorized as being below median income level in each city and Aedes pupae density was also greater in container habitats found in these lower income neighborhoods. We infer that lower income residents may experience greater exposure to potential disease vectors and Baltimore residents specifically, were at greater risk of exposure to the predominant WNV vector. However, we also found that resident-reported mosquito nuisance was not correlated with our measured risk index, indicating a potentially important mismatch between motivation needed to engage participation in control efforts and the relative importance of control among neighborhoods.

Defining the risk of Zika and chikungunya virus transmission in human population centers of the eastern United States

“…albopictus. Studies confirm high densities and growing populations of this species across the eastern U.S. and as far north as New York [31][32][33]. A second necessary condition is that the female Ae.…”

“…In the United States, Ae. albopictus is now widespread throughout the eastern portion of the country, with increasingly urban association as the species has spread northward [5, 31,32]. Increases in geographic range, urban occupation, and human biting, would all seem to intensify the potential for this vector to transmit arboviruses to humans.…”

Identifying high risk areas of West Nile Virus in minority and low-income neighborhoods

“…LaDeau et al [4] determined that lower income Baltimore residents were at high risk of exposure to the vector of WNV; there was also a mismatch among residents who reported nuisance mosquitoes and risk index. An evaluation of active surveillance effort using the number of trap sites in an area was positively correlated with whether a family of five was indigent, the percent of blacks in an area, the prevalence of WNV in the population, the prevalence of WNV in blacks and the number of trap nights in an area.…”

“…In Baltimore, Washington DC and New Jersey, poverty was associated with the presence of this Ae. albopictus [4,11]. Air and maritime port areas in Chatham County have been identified as high risk areas for import of mosquito species infected with Zika virus [12].…”

“…West Nile virus was first detected in North America during 1999 [2], and soon after, the hypotheses was postulated that urban areas would be at particularly high risk of WNV [3]. Lower income residents in Baltimore were at higher risk of exposure to a principal vector of WNV, Culex pipiens [4]. West Nile virus was first detected in Chatham County in 2002 [5].…”