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Home / Equine Research Bank / Int J Health Geogr / Spatial epidemiology of eastern equine encephalitis in Flori...
International journal of health geographics2012; 11; 47; doi: 10.1186/1476-072X-11-47

Spatial epidemiology of eastern equine encephalitis in Florida.

Abstract: Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is an alphavirus with high pathogenicity in both humans and horses. Florida continues to have the highest occurrence of human cases in the USA, with four fatalities recorded in 2010. Unlike other states, Florida supports year-round EEEV transmission. This research uses GIS to examine spatial patterns of documented horse cases during 2005-2010 in order to understand the relationships between habitat and transmission intensity of EEEV in Florida. Methods: Cumulative incidence rates of EEE in horses were calculated for each county. Two cluster analyses were performed using density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN). The first analysis was based on regional clustering while the second focused on local clustering. Ecological associations of EEEV were examined using compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis to determine if the proportion or proximity of certain habitats played a role in transmission. Results: The DBSCAN algorithm identified five distinct regional spatial clusters that contained 360 of the 438 horse cases. The local clustering resulted in 18 separate clusters containing 105 of the 438 cases. Both the compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis indicated that the top five habitats positively associated with horse cases were rural residential areas, crop and pastureland, upland hardwood forests, vegetated non-forested wetlands, and tree plantations. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that in Florida tree plantations are a focus for epizootic transmission of EEEV. It appears both the abundance and proximity of tree plantations are factors associated with increased risk of EEE in horses and therefore humans. This association helps to explain why there is are spatially distinct differences in the amount of EEE horse cases across Florida.
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Publication Date: 2012-11-05 PubMed ID: 23126615PubMed Central: PMC3517371DOI: 10.1186/1476-072X-11-47Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 article investigates geographical patterns of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) transmission in horses in Florida using a spatial statistical method. The researchers found that areas with certain types of habitats had higher cases of EEEV, including rural residential areas, crop and pastureland, and tree plantations.

Research Methods

  • The researchers gathered data of documented EEEV cases in horses across Florida from 2005 to 2010.
  • They then calculated the cumulative incidence rates of EEE in horses for each county in Florida.
  • They used a statistic method called density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) to identify potential clusters of EEEV cases, conducting two separate analyses for regional and local clustering.
  • They also conducted compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis to examine the relations between specific habitats and EEEV transmission. These methods can help determine if the proportion or proximity of certain habitats are associated with the disease transmission.

Research Findings

  • Five regional spatial clusters were identified using DBSCAN algorithm. These clusters contained 360 out of 438 horse cases of EEEV.
  • The local clustering analysis resulted in 18 separate clusters containing 105 out of the 438 horse cases.
  • Both compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis indicated that the top five habitats linked with high EEEV cases were rural residential areas, crop and pastureland, upland hardwood forests, vegetated non-forested wetlands, and tree plantations.

Conclusions

  • The study suggests that tree plantations in Florida are a major area for transmission of EEEV.
  • Both the proximity and abundance of tree plantations were factors associated with increased EEEV risk in horses, and by extension, potentially in humans as well.
  • This finding helps provide an understanding of why there are distinct geographical patterns of EEEV cases in Florida, which could boost prevention and control measures for the disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Vander Kelen PT, Downs JA, Stark LM, Loraamm RW, Anderson JH, Unnasch TR. (2012). Spatial epidemiology of eastern equine encephalitis in Florida. Int J Health Geogr, 11, 47. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-072X-11-47

Publication

International journal of health geographics
ISSN: 1476-072X
NlmUniqueID: 101152198
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 11
Pages: 47

Researcher Affiliations

Vander Kelen, Patrick T
  • Global Health Infectious Disease Research Program, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
Downs, Joni A
    Stark, Lillian M
      Loraamm, Rebecca W
        Anderson, James H
          Unnasch, Thomas R

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Cluster Analysis
            • Encephalomyelitis, Eastern Equine / epidemiology
            • Encephalomyelitis, Eastern Equine / veterinary
            • Florida / epidemiology
            • Geographic Mapping
            • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
            • Horses
            • Humans
            • Incidence

            Grant Funding

            • R01AI049724 / NIAID NIH HHS

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            Citations

            This article has been cited 4 times.
            1. Heberlein-Larson LA, Tan Y, Stark LM, Cannons AC, Shilts MH, Unnasch TR, Das SR. Complex Epidemiological Dynamics of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus in Florida.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 May;100(5):1266-1274.
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            2. Downs JA, Hyzer G, Marion E, Smith ZJ, Kelen PV, Unnasch TR. Mapping eastern equine encephalitis virus risk for white-tailed deer in Michigan.. Appl Geogr 2015 Oct 1;64:66-73.
              doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2015.09.006pubmed: 26494931google scholar: lookup
            3. Stevens KB, Pfeiffer DU. Sources of spatial animal and human health data: Casting the net wide to deal more effectively with increasingly complex disease problems.. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2015 Apr;13:15-29.
              doi: 10.1016/j.sste.2015.04.003pubmed: 26046634google scholar: lookup
            4. Kelen PV, Downs JA, Unnasch T, Stark L. A risk index model for predicting eastern equine encephalitis virus transmission to horses in Florida.. Appl Geogr 2014 Mar 1;48:79-86.
              doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.01.012pubmed: 24764607google scholar: lookup
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