Habitat heterogeneity influences pathogen ecology by affecting vector abundance and the reservoir host communities.
Contrary to common preconception, urban green roofs had significantly lower vector abundance relative to controls.
Human-biting female mosquitoes of species known to transmit infectious diseases locally and globally constituted the vector abundance data.
These sources of uncertainty, combined with the seasonal variation in vector abundance driven by temperature patterns, result in a variety of possible outcomes triggered by the importation of an infected human case.
Vector abundance was higher in NC than in GR, attributed to the occasional presence of water pools in depressions of roofing membrane after rainfall.
This study evaluated important microclimatic attributes that explain vector abundance differences between urban extensive green roofs and two control site types in humid-subtropical Hong Kong.
Results suggest that future studies should include other factors related to vector abundance, vector competence, human population, and parasite and reservoir host(s) to produce more comprehensive ZCL transmission risk maps, thus helping in planning effective prevention and control strategies.
However, there were no significant associations between vector abundance and economic conditions in our study (See Methods).
The underlying assumption is that malaria vector abundance is an adequate surrogate for malaria risk without explicit inclusion of parasite abundance.
This is primarily a consequence of the uncertainty in the model parameters, notably relating to vector abundance (Table 2), as well as the inherent stochasticity of infection dynamics.
Adult vector abundance is positively associated with the availability of aquatic habitats necessary for the deposition of eggs, and the areas with highest malaria risk are often found within just a few hundred meters of such larval habitats [13], [14].
