Post-earthquake Zika virus surge: Disaster and public health threat amid climatic conduciveness.

ABSTRACT: A recent major earthquake (M7.8), coupled with appropriate climatic conditions, led to significant destruction in Ecuador. Temperature variations, which may be induced by anthropogenic climate change, are often associated with changes in rainfall, humidity and pressure. Temperature and humidity are associated with ecological modifications that may favour mosquito breeding. We hypothesized that the disruptive ecological changes triggered by the earthquake, in the context of appropriate climatic conditions, led to an upsurge in Zika virus (ZIKV) infections. Here we show that, after controlling for climatic and socioeconomic conditions, earthquake severity was associated with incident ZIKV cases. Pre-earthquake mean maximum monthly temperature and post-earthquake mean monthly pressure were ne

SUBMITTER: Reina Ortiz M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5684400 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature