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Cold, dry air is associated with influenza and pneumonia mortality in Auckland, New Zealand.

ABSTRACT: The relationship between weather and influenza and pneumonia mortality was examined retrospectively using daily data from 1980 to 2009 in Auckland, New Zealand, a humid, subtropical location. Mortality events, defined when mortality exceeded 0·95 standard deviation above the mean, followed periods of anomalously cold air (ta.m. = -4·1, P < 0·01; tp.m. = -4·2, P < 0·01) and/or anomalously dry air (ta.m. = -4·1, P < 0·01; tp.m. = -3·8, P < 0·01) by up to 19 days. These results suggest that respiratory infection is enhanced during unusually cold conditions and during conditions with unusually low humidity, even in a subtropical location where humidity is typically high.

SUBMITTER: Davis RE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4910181 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cold, dry air is associated with influenza and pneumonia mortality in Auckland, New Zealand.

Davis Robert E RE Dougherty Erin E McArthur Colin C Huang Qiu Sue QS Baker Michael G MG

Influenza and other respiratory viruses 20160517 4

The relationship between weather and influenza and pneumonia mortality was examined retrospectively using daily data from 1980 to 2009 in Auckland, New Zealand, a humid, subtropical location. Mortality events, defined when mortality exceeded 0·95 standard deviation above the mean, followed periods of anomalously cold air (ta.m. = -4·1, P < 0·01; tp.m. = -4·2, P < 0·01) and/or anomalously dry air (ta.m. = -4·1, P < 0·01; tp.m. = -3·8, P < 0·01) by up to 19 days. These results suggest that respira ...[more]

PMID: 26681638

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