Background:Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya viruses. Their range has recently been expanding throughout the world, including into desert regions such as Arizona in the southwestern United States. Little is understood about how these mosquitoes are surviving and behaving in arid environments, habitat that was previously considered inhospitable for the vector. The goal of this study is to create quarterly species distribution models based on satellite imagery and socioeconomic indicators for Ae. aegypti in Maricopa County, Arizona from 2014 to 2020.Methods: Trapping records for Ae. aegypti in Maricopa County, Arizona from 2014 to 2020 were split into 25 quarterly time periods. Quarterly species distribution models (Maxent) were created using satellite imagery-derived vegetation and moisture indices, elevation, and socioeconomic factors (population density, median income) as predictors. Maps of predicted habitat suitability were converted to binary presence/absence maps, and consensus maps were created that represent “core” habitat for the mosquito over 6 years of time. Results were summarized over census-defined zip code tabulation areas with the goal of producing more actionable maps for vector control.Results: Population density was generally the most important predictor in the models while median income and elevation were the least important. All of the 25 quarterly models had high test area under the curve values (>0.90) indicating good model performance. Multiple suburban areas surrounding the Phoenix metropolitan core area were identified as consistent highly suitable habitat.Conclusion: We identified long term “core” habitat for adult female Ae. aegypti over the course of 6 years, as well as “hotspot” locations with greater than average suitability. Binary maps of habitat suitability may be useful for vector control and public health purposes. Future studies should examine the movement of the mosquito in this region over time which would provide another clue as to how the mosquito is surviving and behaving in a desert region.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are primary vectors of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika viruses. Ae. aegypti is highly anthropophilic and relies nearly exclusively on human blood meals and habitats for reproduction. Socioeconomic factors may be associated with the spread of Ae. aegypti due to their close relationship with humans. This paper describes and summarizes the published literature on the association between socioeconomic variables and the distribution of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in the mainland United States. A comprehensive search of PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO Academic Search Complete through June 12, 2019 was used to retrieve all articles published in English on the association of socioeconomic factors and the distribution of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Additionally, a hand search of mosquito control association websites was conducted in an attempt to identify relevant grey literature. Articles were screened for eligibility using the process described in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Initially, 3,493 articles were identified through the database searches and previously known literature. After checking for duplicates, 2,145 articles remained. 570 additional records were identified through the grey literature search for a total of 2,715 articles. These articles were screened for eligibility using their titles and abstracts, and 2,677 articles were excluded for not meeting the eligibility criteria. Finally, the full text for each of the remaining articles (n=38) was read to determine eligibility. Through this screening process, 11 articles were identified for inclusion in this review. The findings for these 11 studies revealed inconsistent relationships between the studied socioeconomic factors and the distribution and abundance of Ae. aegypti. The findings of this review suggest a gap in the literature and understanding of the association between anthropogenic factors and the distribution of Ae. aegypti that could hinder efforts to implement effective public health prevention and control strategies should a disease outbreak occur.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of bike fix-it stations on ac- tive transportation (AT) awareness and behaviors among students at 3 suburban middle schools in Colorado. Self-reported barriers to AT also were recorded. Methods: The schools installed bike fix-it stations for use to perform minor bike repairs. A questionnaire was developed by the school district and used to assess AT behaviors and barriers before and approximately one se- mester after installation. Survey results from the individual schools were combined for analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and nonparametric tests were used to determine if dif- ferences existed, pre- to post-survey. Results: The majority (80%) of respondents had not used the station at post-survey. No statistically significant difference existed in the number of days respondents biked to school each week before or after installation. Commonly reported barriers to AT included time, distance, weather, and having things to carry. Conclusions: The installation of bike fix-it stations alone did not change AT behavior, although the students surveyed often were not aware of the station and did not feel capable of using it without additional training. Policies and programs should address barriers to AT.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are of great importance to public health, have recently and rapidly expanded their global range; however, little is understood about the distribution of these mosquitoes in desert environments. Trapping records for Ae. aegypti in Maricopa County, Arizona from 2014-2020 were used to construct species distribution models using Maxent. Satellite imagery and socioeconomic factors were used as predictors. Maps of predicted habitat suitability were converted to binary presence/absence maps, and consensus maps were created that represent “core” habitat for the mosquito over six years of time. Generally, population density was the most important predictor in the models while median income was the least important. This study is the first step toward understanding the distribution of the vector in a desert environment. One-Sentence Summary: This study uses satellite imagery and socioeconomic factors to identify core habitat over six years in a desert environment.