Environmental Epidemiology
Mortality dynamics of West Nile virus and Lyme disease in the United States
By Raheleh Mohammadi, Yeongjin Gwon, Jocelyn J. Herstein and 4 others.
Abstract
Background
West Nile virus (WNV) and Lyme disease pose a growing public health threat in the United States. This study investigated spatial and temporal mortality trends of WNV and Lyme disease and evaluated associations with individual and county-level factors.
Methods
We utilized National Center for Health Statistics data to identify WNV- and Lyme-related deaths (2003–2021), including demographics and the decedent’s county of residence. County-level insurance status was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, and urbanicity was defined using the 2013 National Center For Health Statistics classification. We applied negative binomial regression models to identify predictors of mortality.
