The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #36897

Mary H. Hayden, Health and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado at Denver, Campus Box 188, P.O. Box 173364, Denver, CO 80217-3364, 719.540.7434, mary.hayden@ppcc.cccoes.edu and Rafael Moreno Sanchez, PhD, Geography, University of Denver, 2050 E. Iliff Ave., Denver, CO 80208-2513.

Dengue Fever (DEN) currently causes more illness and death than any other arbovirus affecting humans. One-half the world's population is at risk for infection. DEN and its more serious manifestation, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), have emerged in the Americas, and DEN is found at present in all but three countries in the Western Hemisphere. The vector for DEN and DHF, Aedes aegypti, has moved from its typical subtropical/tropical environment into desert regions of the USA and Mexico, where its presence has been documented from Nogales, AZ northward to Tempe, AZ. Our study will employ an integrated assessment to examine the impact of climate variability, human environmental interaction including land use, population growth, migration, and human behavior facilitating or inhibiting human-mosquito contact on the proliferation of Aedes aegypti in a desert climate. The resultant risk maps developed after appropriate field research will provide a model of transmission dynamics of DEN. The hypothesis that Aedes aegypti has expanded into a desert climate because of environmental change and human behavior will be tested by accessing public utilities records, satellite imagery, and digital quadrangles to identify and map areas with poor public infrastructure and land use affording Aedes aegypti breeding sites, documenting inhibitors and facilitators of mosquito interaction with humans through field inventories, analyzing climate data, and by conducting mosquito surveillance. Three locations will be studied: Tucson, AZ, Nogales, AZ, and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.

Learning Objectives: After the proposed session, participants will be able to

• Discuss the mechanisms involved in the transmission of arboviral diseases such as dengue fever.
• Recognize the importance of the integration of disciplines in developing an understanding of many of the mechanisms involved in the transmission of dengue fever. 3.Identify the accessibility of complementary overlapping databases useful to the public health community.

Keywords: Climate Change, Community Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: ESRI (ArcView 3.2) Onset data loggers RainWise rain gauges University of AZ University of CO Denver University AZ Dept of Health Services
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.