The Gulf of Mexico is surrounded by the United States, Mexico and Cuba. All three of these countries contain populous urban centers such as Houston, Tampa, Havana, New Orleans and Veracruz as well as rural populations. The Gulf Coast suffers from a high prevalence of NTDs that affect native populations. This is attributed to socioeconomic factors, such as poverty, and environmental conditions. The warm, subtropical climate allows many of these pathogens to thrive.