Nonstationary influence of El Nino on the synchronous dengue epidemics in Thailand.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several factors, including environmental and climatic factors, influence the transmission of vector-borne diseases. Nevertheless, the identification and relative importance of climatic factors for vector-borne diseases remain controversial. Dengue is the world's most important viral vector-borne disease, and the controversy about climatic effects also applies in this case. Here we address the role of climate variability in shaping the interannual pattern of dengue epidemics.

Methods and findings

We have analysed monthly data for Thailand from 1983 to 1997 using wavelet approaches that can describe nonstationary phenomena and that also allow the quantification of nonstationary associations between time series. We report a strong association between monthly dengue i

SUBMITTER: Cazelles B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1087219 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature