FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Prev Vet Med / Irrigation linked to a greater incidence of human and veteri...
Preventive veterinary medicine2009; 89(1-2); 134-137; doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2008.12.004

Irrigation linked to a greater incidence of human and veterinary West Nile virus cases in the United States from 2004 to 2006.

Abstract: Identifying risk factors for West Nile virus transmission is vital for future public health control measures. This study investigated the effect of irrigation, expressed as percent irrigated land, and population density on the incidence of human and veterinary West Nile virus (WNV) cases using a sample of 2827 counties from the United States over a 3-year period. Zero-inflated Poisson regression models were selected because of the large number of counties reporting zero cases. The mean percentage of irrigated land for the entire sample was approximately 0.029, while counties reporting both human and veterinary cases had an average of 0.054. As the level of irrigation rose by 0.1% of the total county land area, the incidence rate of WNV cases increased by 50% in the human model (RR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.46-1.53) and 63% in the veterinary model (RR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.57-1.68). Higher equine and human population densities were associated with a slightly decreased incidence of WNV cases. In the logistic portion of the Zero-inflated model, the presence of irrigation significantly decreased the odds of a county reporting zero cases. Future research is warranted to determine the exact nature of the relationship between irrigation and increased disease incidence in human and veterinary populations.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2009-01-30 PubMed ID: 19185941DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2008.12.004Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research indicates that areas with higher percentages of irrigated land have shown a higher incidence of West Nile Virus (WNV) cases in both humans and animals, especially in equine populations across the United States from 2004 to 2006.

Research Background

  • The research is aimed at identifying risk factors associated with West Nile Virus transmission, which is a critical requirement for developing public health control measures.
  • The study assesses the impact of irrigation (measured in terms of percentage of irrigated land), and population density on the incidence of human and veterinary WNV cases.
  • The study sample comprises of 2827 counties in the United States, observed over a span of three years.
  • Because of the high number of counties that reported no cases, the researchers chose to use Zero-inflated Poisson regression models for their analysis.

Key Findings

  • On average, the entire sample had approximately 0.029% of land under irrigation. However, the counties where both human and veterinary cases were reported had an average of 0.054% irrigation.
  • The research identifies a significant link between the ratio of irrigated land and the incidence of WNV. An increase of 0.1% in irrigated land was associated with a 50% rise in human WNV cases and a 63% increase in veterinary cases.
  • Counties with higher human and equine population densities reported a marginal decrease in the incidence of WNV cases.
  • In the logistic portion of the Zero-inflated model, it was found the presence of irrigation significantly reduced the odds of a county reporting zero cases.

Implications

  • This research indicates a strong link between the level of irrigation and the incidence rate of WNV cases in both human and animal populations.
  • These findings stress the need for further research to determine the exact nature and causes of the link between irrigation practices and the increased incidence of the disease.
  • The insights from the research can guide potential public health interventions focusing on irrigation practices to control the spread of WNV.

Cite This Article

APA
Gates MC, Boston RC. (2009). Irrigation linked to a greater incidence of human and veterinary West Nile virus cases in the United States from 2004 to 2006. Prev Vet Med, 89(1-2), 134-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2008.12.004

Publication

Preventive veterinary medicine
ISSN: 1873-1716
NlmUniqueID: 8217463
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 89
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 134-137

Researcher Affiliations

Gates, Maureen C
  • University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States. gates@vet.upenn.edu
Boston, Raymond C

    MeSH Terms

    • Agriculture
    • Animals
    • Confidence Intervals
    • Culicidae / virology
    • Disease Reservoirs
    • Environmental Microbiology
    • Humans
    • Incidence
    • Insect Vectors / virology
    • Logistic Models
    • Poisson Distribution
    • Population Density
    • Public Health
    • Risk Factors
    • United States / epidemiology
    • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
    • West Nile Fever / transmission
    • West Nile Fever / veterinary
    • West Nile virus / growth & development

    Citations

    This article has been cited 13 times.
    1. Gorris ME, Randerson JT, Coffield SR, Treseder KK, Zender CS, Xu C, Manore CA. Assessing the Influence of Climate on the Spatial Pattern of West Nile Virus Incidence in the United States.. Environ Health Perspect 2023 Apr;131(4):47016.
      doi: 10.1289/EHP10986pubmed: 37104243google scholar: lookup
    2. Lourenço J, Barros SC, Zé-Zé L, Damineli DSC, Giovanetti M, Osório HC, Amaro F, Henriques AM, Ramos F, Luís T, Duarte MD, Fagulha T, Alves MJ, Obolski U. West Nile virus transmission potential in Portugal.. Commun Biol 2022 Jan 10;5(1):6.
      doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02969-3pubmed: 35013546google scholar: lookup
    3. Watts MJ, Sarto I Monteys V, Mortyn PG, Kotsila P. The rise of West Nile Virus in Southern and Southeastern Europe: A spatial-temporal analysis investigating the combined effects of climate, land use and economic changes.. One Health 2021 Dec;13:100315.
      doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100315pubmed: 34485672google scholar: lookup
    4. Fornasiero D, Mazzucato M, Barbujani M, Montarsi F, Capelli G, Mulatti P. Inter-annual variability of the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic drivers affecting West Nile virus vector Culex pipiens population dynamics in northeastern Italy.. Parasit Vectors 2020 May 29;13(1):271.
      doi: 10.1186/s13071-020-04143-wpubmed: 32471479google scholar: lookup
    5. Uelmen JA, Brokopp C, Patz J. A 15 Year Evaluation of West Nile Virus in Wisconsin: Effects on Wildlife and Human Health.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 Mar 9;17(5).
      doi: 10.3390/ijerph17051767pubmed: 32182764google scholar: lookup
    6. Keyel AC, Elison Timm O, Backenson PB, Prussing C, Quinones S, McDonough KA, Vuille M, Conn JE, Armstrong PM, Andreadis TG, Kramer LD. Seasonal temperatures and hydrological conditions improve the prediction of West Nile virus infection rates in Culex mosquitoes and human case counts in New York and Connecticut.. PLoS One 2019;14(6):e0217854.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217854pubmed: 31158250google scholar: lookup
    7. Ukawuba I, Shaman J. Association of spring-summer hydrology and meteorology with human West Nile virus infection in West Texas, USA, 2002-2016.. Parasit Vectors 2018 Apr 4;11(1):224.
      doi: 10.1186/s13071-018-2781-0pubmed: 29618375google scholar: lookup
    8. Paz S, Semenza JC. Environmental drivers of West Nile fever epidemiology in Europe and Western Asia--a review.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013 Aug 9;10(8):3543-62.
      doi: 10.3390/ijerph10083543pubmed: 23939389google scholar: lookup
    9. Petersen LR, Carson PJ, Biggerstaff BJ, Custer B, Borchardt SM, Busch MP. Estimated cumulative incidence of West Nile virus infection in US adults, 1999-2010.. Epidemiol Infect 2013 Mar;141(3):591-5.
      doi: 10.1017/S0950268812001070pubmed: 22640592google scholar: lookup
    10. Chuang TW, Hockett CW, Kightlinger L, Wimberly MC. Landscape-level spatial patterns of West Nile virus risk in the northern Great Plains.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012 Apr;86(4):724-31.
      doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0515pubmed: 22492161google scholar: lookup
    11. Cardenas VM, Jaime J, Ford PB, Gonzalez FJ, Carrillo I, Gallegos JE, Watts DM. Yard flooding by irrigation canals increased the risk of West Nile disease in El Paso, Texas.. Ann Epidemiol 2011 Dec;21(12):922-9.
      doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2011.08.001pubmed: 21943648google scholar: lookup
    12. Bowden SE, Magori K, Drake JM. Regional differences in the association between land cover and West Nile virus disease incidence in humans in the United States.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011 Feb;84(2):234-8.
      doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0134pubmed: 21292890google scholar: lookup
    13. Sugumaran R, Larson SR, Degroote JP. Spatio-temporal cluster analysis of county-based human West Nile virus incidence in the continental United States.. Int J Health Geogr 2009 Jul 13;8:43.
      doi: 10.1186/1476-072X-8-43pubmed: 19594928google scholar: lookup
    Subscribe to our newsletter
    Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.