Modeling the distribution of the West Nile and Rift Valley Fever vector Culex pipiens in arid and semi-arid regions of the Middle East and North Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Middle East North Africa (MENA) region is under continuous threat of the re-emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) and Rift Valley Fever virus (RVF), two pathogens transmitted by the vector species Culex pipiens. Predicting areas at high risk for disease transmission requires an accurate model of vector distribution, however, most Cx. pipiens distribution modeling has been confined to temperate, forested habitats. Modeling species distributions across a heterogeneous landscape structure requires a flexible modeling method to capture variation in mosquito response to predictors as well as occurrence data points taken from a sufficient range of habitat types.

Methods

We used presence-only data from Egypt and Lebanon to model the population distribution of Cx. pipien

SUBMITTER: Conley AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4077837 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature