Effect of influenza on cardiorespiratory and all-cause mortality in Hong Kong, Singapore and Guangzhou.
1. Using a common modelling approach, mortality attributable to influenza was higher in the two subtropical cities Guangzhou and Hong Kong than in the tropical city Singapore. 2. The virus activity appeared more synchronised in subtropical cities, whereas seasonality of influenza tended to be less marked in the tropical city. 3. High temperature was associated with increased mortality after influenza infection in Hong Kong, whereas relative humidity was an effect modifier for influenza in Guangzhou. No effect modification was found for Singapore. 4. Seasonal and environmental factors probably play a more important role than socioeconomic factors in regulating seasonality and disease burden of influenza. Further studies are needed in identifying the mechanism behind the regulatory role of environmental factors.
Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.
C M
CM
Wong
J S M
JS
Peiris
L
L
Yang
K P
KP
Chan
T Q
TQ
Thach
H K
HK
Lai
W W L
WW
Lim
A J
AJ
Hedley
J
J
He
P
P
Chen
C
C
Ou
A
A
Deng
X
X
Zhang
D
D
Zhou
S
S
Ma
A
A
Chow
D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D012621:Seasons; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D013696:Temperature