Landscape determinants of Saint Louis encephalitis human infections in Córdoba city, Argentina during 2010

Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is endemic in Argentina. During 2005 an outbreak occurred in Córdoba. From January to April of 2010 a new outbreak occurred in Córdoba city with a lower magnitude than the one reported in 2005. Understanding the association of different landscape elements related to SLEV hosts and vectors in urban environments is important for identifying high risk areas for human infections, which was here evaluated. The current study uses a case–control approach at a household geographical location, considering symptomatic and asymptomatic human infections produced by SLEV during 2010 in Córdoba city. Geographical information systems and logistic regression analysis were used to study the distribution of infected human cases and their proximity to water bodies, vegetation abundance, agricultural fields and housing density classified as high/low density urban constructions. Population density at a neighborhood level was also analyzed as a demographic variable. Logistic regression analysis revealed vegetation abundance was significantly (p