title: The occurrence of melioidosis is related to different climatic conditions in distinct topographical areas of Taiwan.
abstract: This study assessed the correlations between the incidence of melioidosis and rainfall, wind strength and wind direction in both the flat and hilly regions of Taiwan. Data from the melioidosis and climate databases from 2005 to 2011 were combined and analysed. With the inclusion of a lag time accounting for a possible incubation period for melioidosis, the daily rainfall and wind-speed data were correlated with the number of confirmed melioidosis cases. The incidence of melioidosis in the flat region was related to the wind speed (>19 m/s) and the specific angle (150°, 220°, 280°) of the wind direction. Rainfall is a common environmental factor that contributes to an increase in the incidence of melioidosis in both areas; however, the contribution of wind strength or wind direction to the spread of melioidosis was restricted to areas with specific topographical characteristics, such as hills.
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Enteric and Emerging Diseases Laboratory, Research and Diagnostic Centre, Centre for Disease Control, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: P-Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: P-S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, National Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002980:Climate; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011891:Rain; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014919:Wind