title: [Modelling the effect of local climatic variability on dengue transmission in Medellin (Colombia) by means of time series analysis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dengue fever is a major impact on public health vector-borne disease, and its transmission is influenced by entomological, sociocultural and economic factors. Additionally, climate variability plays an important role in the transmission dynamics. A large scientific consensus has indicated that the strong association between climatic variables and disease could be used to develop models to explain the incidence of the disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop a model that provides a better understanding of dengue transmission dynamics in Medellin and predicts increases in the incidence of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The incidence of dengue fever was used as dependent variable, and weekly climatic factors (maximum, mean and minimum temperature, relative humidity and precipitation) as independent variables. Expert Modeler was used to develop a model to better explain the behavior of the disease. Climatic variables with significant association to the dependent variable were selected through ARIMA models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model explains 34% of observed variability. Precipitation was the climatic variable showing statistically significant association with the incidence of dengue fever, but with a 20 weeks delay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Medellin, the transmission of dengue fever was influenced by climate variability, especially precipitation. The strong association dengue fever/precipitation allowed the construction of a model to help understand dengue transmission dynamics. This information will be useful to develop appropriate and timely strategies for dengue control.
authors.affiliation: Grupo Entomología Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Guillermo L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Rúa-Uribe
authors.affiliation: Grupo Entomología Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suárez-Acosta
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chauca
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Palmira
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ventosilla
authors.affiliation: Sección Epidemiología, Secretaría de Salud de Medellín, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Almanza
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes; D000818:Animals; D002980:Climate; D003105:Colombia; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006813:Humidity; D015994:Incidence; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011891:Rain; D012984:Software; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D019371:Topography, Medical; D014887:Weather