Mosquito Vector Production across Socio-Economic Divides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Abstract

We investigated the role of socio-economic factors in the proliferation of mosquito vectors in two adjacent but socio-economically contrasting neighborhoods in Baton Rouge, LA, USA. We surveyed mosquito larvae habitat, mosquito larvae, and adult mosquitoes during the summer of 2020. We also evaluated the number of requests for mosquito abatement services in the years preceding the study for each area. While we did not find differences in terms of the most abundant species, Culex quinquefasicatus (F1,30 = 0.329, p = 0.57), we did find a higher abundance of mosquito habitats, particularly discarded tires, as well as larvae (z = 13.83, p < 0.001) and adults (F1,30 = 4.207, p = 0.049) of the species Aedes albopictus in the low-income neighborhood. In contrast, mosquito abatement requests were significantly higher in the high socio-economic neighborhood (z = −8.561, p < 0.001). This study shows how factors such as adjudicated properties, discarded tires and pest abatement requests can influence the abundance of mosquito vectors, disproportionately affecting low-income groups. This study also highlights how Aedes spp. may be better indicators than Culex spp. of socio-economic differences between nearby neighborhoods, due to their short flight range and habitat preferences, and this should be considered in future studies attempting to detect such disparities in the future.

Habitat Segregation Patterns of Container Breeding Mosquitos: The Role of Urban Heat Islands, Vegetation Cover, and Income Disparity in Cemeteries of New Orleans

“…albopictus [ 14 , 15 ]. If we layer this finding with that of other studies suggesting how urban disrepair and abandonment create habitat for mosquitos and disproportionally affect low-income neighborhoods [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ], we can see how there are multiple complex pathways by which poverty can be potentially linked to higher mosquito borne disease risk in our cities. Future studies should determine the role of mosquito habitat segregation in driving differences in relative disease risk within a city, accounting for differences in abundance and vector competence of the mosquito species present.…”

“…Container habitat availability is in turn influenced by a variety of socioeconomic factors. In the USA, studies have shown that container mosquitos and their habitats increase proportionally with abandoned properties, urban disinvestment, and waste mismanagement, all of which are factors that disproportionally affect low-income neighborhoods [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. This highlights the importance of considering heterogeneity in the social dimension of the urban landscape when evaluating mosquito vector community assemblages.…”

Battle of the Bites: The Effect of Sewage Effluent Exposure on Mosquitofish Biocontrol of Mosquitoes in Residential Louisiana

“…quinquefasciatus inhabit ephemeral, organically enriched, and often polluted aquatic habitats in tropical and semi-tropical environments [ 2 , 3 ]. These same environments are generally intolerable for most aquatic predators, resulting in unchecked mosquito populations and an increased risk to human health [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ], including in low-income neighborhoods in southern Louisiana [ 6 ]. One such source of polluted habitats occurs in locations exposed to effluent from malfunctioning residential onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs), including traditional septic systems and aerated treatment units (ATUs).…”

Environmental and socio-economic determinants of mosquito vector species presence and abundance in Los Angeles County, California

“…At the local scale, the risk of arbovirus transmission to humans is highly heterogeneous and, among other factors, associated with the presence and abundance of mosquito vectors, which are greatly influenced by environmental and socioeconomic features [12][13][14][15][16][17]. Anthropogenic changes in the environment disrupt the dynamics of mosquito vector populations, and different species are affected differently [12,18].…”