Respiratory syncytial virus seasonality in tropical Australia
Author(s)
Paynter, Stuart
Ware, Robert S
Sly, Peter D
Weinstein, Philip
Williams, Gail
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2015
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Objective: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is most common during the rainy season in a number of low- to middle-income tropical settings, a pattern driven by seasonal changes in climate and nutrition. We investigated the seasonality of RSV in the high-income tropical setting of North Queensland, Australia.
Methods: We used RSV hospital admissions data from Cairns and Townsville to assess the seasonality of RSV. We examined the seasonal scale associations between selected meteorological exposures and RSV admissions using cross-correlation of weekly data.
Results: In both Cairns and Townsville, RSV admissions were highest ...
View more >Objective: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is most common during the rainy season in a number of low- to middle-income tropical settings, a pattern driven by seasonal changes in climate and nutrition. We investigated the seasonality of RSV in the high-income tropical setting of North Queensland, Australia. Methods: We used RSV hospital admissions data from Cairns and Townsville to assess the seasonality of RSV. We examined the seasonal scale associations between selected meteorological exposures and RSV admissions using cross-correlation of weekly data. Results: In both Cairns and Townsville, RSV admissions were highest in the latter half of the rainy season. In Cairns, RSV admissions were most strongly correlated with rainfall four weeks previously. In Townsville, RSV admissions were most strongly correlated with rainfall six weeks previously. Conclusions: The seasonality of RSV in the tropical setting of North Queensland appears to be driven by seasonal variations in rainfall. Further research is needed to assess the impact of climate on RSV incidence in the tropics.
View less >
View more >Objective: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is most common during the rainy season in a number of low- to middle-income tropical settings, a pattern driven by seasonal changes in climate and nutrition. We investigated the seasonality of RSV in the high-income tropical setting of North Queensland, Australia. Methods: We used RSV hospital admissions data from Cairns and Townsville to assess the seasonality of RSV. We examined the seasonal scale associations between selected meteorological exposures and RSV admissions using cross-correlation of weekly data. Results: In both Cairns and Townsville, RSV admissions were highest in the latter half of the rainy season. In Cairns, RSV admissions were most strongly correlated with rainfall four weeks previously. In Townsville, RSV admissions were most strongly correlated with rainfall six weeks previously. Conclusions: The seasonality of RSV in the tropical setting of North Queensland appears to be driven by seasonal variations in rainfall. Further research is needed to assess the impact of climate on RSV incidence in the tropics.
View less >
Journal Title
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Volume
39
Issue
1
Subject
Health services and systems
Public health
Applied economics
Policy and administration