Association of melioidosis incidence with rainfall and humidity, Singapore, 2003-2012

Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Jan;21(1):159-62. doi: 10.3201/eid2101.140042.

Abstract

Soil has been considered the natural reservoir for the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which causes melioidosis. We examined 550 melioidosis cases that occurred during a 10-year period in the highly urbanized city of Singapore, where soil exposure is rare, and found that rainfall and humidity levels were associated with disease incidence.

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Humidity
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Melioidosis / epidemiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Rain
  • Seasons
  • Singapore / epidemiology
  • Urban Population