Spatial Patterns and Socioecological Drivers of Dengue Fever Transmission in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Background: Understanding how socioecological factors affect the transmission of dengue fever (DF) may help to develop an early warning system of DF.Objectives: We examined the impact of socioecological factors on the transmission of DF and assessed potential predictors of locally acquired and overseas-acquired cases of DF in Queensland, Australia.Methods: We obtained data from Queensland Health on the numbers of notified DF cases by local government area (LGA) in Queensland for the period 1 January 2002 through 31 December 2005. Data on weather and the socioeconomic index were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, respectively. A Bayesian spatial conditional autoregressive model was fitted at the LGA level to quantify the relationship between DF and socioecological factors.Results: Our estimates suggest an increase in locally acquired DF of 6% [95% credible interval (CI): 2%, 11%] and 61% (95% CI: 2%, 241%) in association with a 1-mm increase in average monthly rainfall and a 1°C increase in average monthly maximum temperature between 2002 and 2005, respectively. By contrast, overseas-acquired DF cases increased by 1% (95% CI: 0%, 3%) and by 1% (95% CI: 0%, 2%) in association with a 1-mm increase in average monthly rainfall and a 1-unit increase in average socioeconomic index, respectively.Conclusions: Socioecological factors appear to influence the transmission of DF in Queensland, but the drivers of locally acquired and overseas-acquired DF may differ. DF risk is spatially clustered with different patterns for locally acquired and overseas-acquired cases.

Spatial distribution of dengue incidence and socio-environmental conditions in Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, 2007

“…Similar results have been reported in the city of Rio de Janeiro 34 , Nova Iguaçu (Rio de Janeiro State) 35 , and Queensland, Australia 36 .…”

“…Dengue transmission also undergoes interference from such factors as herd immunity to the various serotypes circulating in the current epidemic and in previous years 36 . Some authors found evidence of the association between dengue risk and socio-environmental conditions after the introduction of a new serotype, where after the virus spreads, the incidence rates generally occur in all socioeconomic strata 37 .…”

Knowledge, behavior and socio-economic status of community in dengue endemic areas with increase and stable trends in Sleman district, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

“…This result was different with the research conducted by Yussanti [19] that it showed a positive relationship between income per capita with the incidence of dengue, means that the higher income, the greater the possibility of being infected by dengue. It may because of people with higher economic level have higher mobility, so the chances of getting an infection from another place higher [8]. The difference results from this study and Yussanti [19] perhaps because of the different characteristics place studied.…”

“…The difference results from this study and Yussanti [19] perhaps because of the different characteristics place studied. Research conducted by Yussanti [19] and Hu et al [8] did in urban area, while this study was conducted in sub-urban area. Inconsistencies in the results of research on the relationship between socio-economic status and the incidence of dengue may also be associated with the environmental concern.…”

“…Population density [4], mobility [5] and poor hygiene behavior [6] is likely to be a contributing factor leading cause of dengue cases in Indonesia, besides to the climatic factors. Health behavior related to a person's level of knowledge [7] and allegedly also by the socio-economic condition [8]. It was important to reveal whether aspects of knowledge, behavior or socio-economic condition of communities correlated with dengue incidence in different trends of dengue cases.…”