UMD Researchers Find Higher Rates of West Nile Virus-Infected Mosquitoes in Lower-Income Neighborhoods in Urban Baltimore thetelegraph.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thetelegraph.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes are abundant in lower-income areas of Baltimore
In a new study published in the
Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) found higher rates of West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes in lower-income neighborhoods in urban areas of Baltimore, Maryland.
Continuing a collaboration with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and building on previous work finding larger mosquitoes (which may be more likely to transmit disease) in lower-income neighborhoods, this preliminary data provides another piece of the puzzle pointing to higher risks of mosquito-transmitted diseases like West Nile virus in these neighborhoods already struggling with environmental injustices and poorer health outcomes.
Lead author Sarah Rothman, a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Maryland College Park, says, Our study is the first in Baltimore to document how West Nile virus infection in mosquitoes varies relative to neighborhood socioeconomics. Knowing where mosquito abundances are high, and what diseases they carry, can help focus surveillance and management programs where they re needed most.
Mosquito-borne disease is a growing threat in cities throughout the U.S. Vacant lots and abandoned buildings can create environmental conditions that bolster mosquitoes and the diseases they carry. Overgrown vegetation, standing water for breeding, and access to blood-meals from rodents, cats, and birds can put nearby residents at risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases like Zika, chikungunya, and West Nile viruses.
Credit: Lena McBean, University of Maryland
In a new study published in the
Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) found higher rates of West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes in lower-income neighborhoods in urban areas of Baltimore, Maryland. Continuing a collaboration with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and building on previous work finding larger mosquitoes (which may be more likely to transmit disease) in lower-income neighborhoods, this preliminary data provides another piece of the puzzle pointing to higher risks of mosquito-transmitted diseases like West Nile virus in these neighborhoods already struggling with environmental injustices and poorer health outcomes. This paper points to a need for more research in lower-income communities to inform policy and programs that can protect the health of those most at risk.
UMD Researchers Find Higher Rates of West Nile Virus-Infected Mosquitoes in Lower-Income Neighborhoods in Urban Baltimore
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In a new study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) found higher rates of West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes in lower-income neighborhoods in urban areas of Baltimore, Maryland. Preliminary results point to a need for more research and education to improve environmental justice and protect urban public health in at-risk populations.
Mosquito trapping in Baltimore, Maryland; Credit: Lena McBean, UMD
“In order to effectively address environmental injustices, we have to understand where they occur and why,” says Rothman. “Only after identifying where disease risk is actually greatest can we direct public health resources to communities that need them most.”