West Nile Virus Monitoring In North Central Texas And A Proposed Surveillance Model

Abstract

West Nile virus monitoring among mosquito populations in Tarrant County, Texas has been ongoing for more than 4 years. Coupled with RT-PCR Testing by the North Texas Regional Laboratory, Tarrant County and the cities that reside within its borders have been able to get an estimate of the location of the virus in their cities. As the participants select trap locations based on convenience, past experience and public interest, it should be beneficial to use geomorphological characteristics to dictate future trapping locations. This surveillance model using existing land maps of Tarrant County, past trap locations and their test results. The model makes statistical comparisons among the trap sites, their results and the characteristics of the site. These include variables such as elevation, floodplain data, urbanization and population density. Then the statistical model predicts grid locations throughout the County that have many of the same characteristics as the positive sample sites.