Roles of humidity and temperature in shaping influenza seasonality.
Experimental studies in guinea pigs demonstrated that influenza virus transmission is strongly modulated by temperature and humidity. A number of epidemiological studies have followed up on these findings and revealed robust associations between influenza incidence in temperate regions and local conditions of humidity and temperature, offering a long-awaited explanation for the wintertime seasonality of influenza in these locales. Despite recent progress, important questions remain as to the mechanism(s) by which humidity and/or temperature affects transmission.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA anice.lowen@emory.edu.
Anice C
AC
Lowen
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
John
J
Steel
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D015994:Incidence; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature