UCLA

The overarching goal of the work described herein is aimed at increasing the translation and application of geospatial research to improve real-world West Nile virus surveillance and mitigation activities. We first conducted a case study in Los Angeles County to demonstrate how geospatial methods can be used to identify factors supporting WNV hotspots. Through our analysis, we determined that catch basins provide a link between drought conditions and increased WNV prevalence of vectors and humans in the county. We then focused on public health and vector control agencies involved in WNV control and investigated the barriers and challenges in implementing geospatial modeling for use in WNV surveillance and mitigation. Barriers were largely dependent upon what stage agencies had implemented geospatial modeling. Additionally, stand-alone vector control and public health agencies faced a greater number of barriers compared to combined agencies. Following our analysis of identifying barriers to implementation, we sought to identify best practices in geospatial modeling for use in WNV control. We examined how four vector control and public health agencies have used geospatial modeling to: (1) elucidate the vector ecology of mosquito species; (2) bolster mosquito source reduction efforts; (3) develop predictive risk assessment models; and (4) increase vector control agency worker utilization. Taken together, these studies provide important insights into how geospatial modeling can be used to applied and implemented in practice to improve the surveillance and control of WNV throughout the United States, and identifies how these practices can be applied to address threats by newly emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases.