Social Predictors of Mosquito Abundance and WNV Positivity in Oklahoma City, 2017--2023

West Nile Virus (WNV) is the most common mosquito-borne virus in the United States. Although most cases are asymptomatic or present with mild flu-like symptoms, a small percentage develop into neuroinvasive disease requiring urgent medical attention. Public health efforts to reduce transmission primarily rely on vector control, but these interventions are often resource-intensive and geographically limited. Improving the precision of these efforts by identifying high-risk areas could enhance the efficiency of mosquito control and reduce disease burden. In Oklahoma, our research group has been studying the ecology and transmission risk of WNV with a focus on urban areas such as Oklahoma City. The primary vectors in this region, Culex pipiens and Culex tarsalis , are peridomestic species. While environmental variables have been shown to influence mosquito abundance, their close association with human settlements suggests that social determinants may also play a role. This project investigates the extent to which sociological factors correlate with mosquito abundance and WNV detection. We compiled mosquito surveillance data and WNV testing results (2017–2023) from Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, and paired these with demographic and socioeconomic variables from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 5-year American Community Survey. Variables related to population density, housing, income, and education were analyzed at the census tract level. Using generalized linear models with a negative binomial distribution and model selection via Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), we assessed the strength of association between these social factors and entomological outcomes. This work represents a step toward understanding how social and demographic conditions relate to mosquito-borne disease risk in Oklahoma. By integrating sociological data into existing ecological models, this project supports efforts to inform more targeted, equitable mosquito control strategies for local public health agencies.