Spatially varying correlation between environmental conditions and human leptospirosis in Sarawak, Malaysia
https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.38.2.034
- Author:
Kira, R.
1
;
Bilung, L.M.
1
;
Ngui, R.
2
;
Apun, K.
1
;
Su’ut, L.
3
Author Information
1. Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
2. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3. Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Leptospira spp.;
geostatistical analysis;
map;
risk factor;
Borneo island
- From:Tropical Biomedicine
2021;38(No.2):31-39
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The spatial distribution of environmental conditions may influence the dynamics of vectorborne
diseases like leptospirosis. This study aims to investigate the global and localised
relationships between leptospirosis with selected environmental variables. The association
between environmental variables and the spatial density of geocoded leptospirosis cases
was determined using global Poisson regression (GPR) and geographically weighted Poisson
regression (GWPR). A higher prevalence of leptospirosis was detected in areas with higher
water vapour pressure (exp(â): 1.12; 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.25) and annual precipitation (exp(â): 1.15;
95% CI: 1.02 - 1.31), with lower precipitation in the driest month (exp(â): 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75 –
0.96) and the wettest quarter (exp(â): 0.88; 95% CI: 0.77 – 1.00). Water vapor pressure (WVP)
varied the most in the hotspot regions with a standard deviation of 0.62 (LQ: 0.15; UQ; 0.99)
while the least variation was observed in annual precipitation (ANNP) with a standard
deviation of 0.14 (LQ: 0.11; UQ; 0.30). The reduction in AICc value from 519.73 to 443.49 indicates
that the GWPR model is able to identify the spatially varying correlation between leptospirosis
and selected environmental variables. The results of the localised relationships in this
study could be used to formulate spatially targeted interventions. This would be particularly
useful in localities with a strong environmental or socio-demographical determinants for
the transmission of leptospirosis.
- Full text:8.2021my1234.pdf
