Virus hits O.C. low-income areas harder

November 16th, 2010, 3:16 pm
by Pat Brennan, science, environment editor

West Nile virus strikes harder in Orange County’s lower-income neighborhoods, a new study shows — with higher viral levels in both humans and the mosquitoes that spread it.

The study led by scientists at the University of Calfornia, Los Angeles found that a burst of West Nile cases in 2008 paralleled a nosediving economy, with abandoned swimming pools, which foster mosquito breeding, the single most visible signal of increased West Nile presence.

“The economic variables did a better job than the ecological variables at explaining prevalence,â€