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A new study demonstrates that outbreaks of mosquito-borne viruses Zika and Chikungunya generally occur about three weeks after heavy rainfall. The findings could enable municipalities to enact measures to limit the spread of the diseases and prepare vaccinations. Health officials can use the occurrence of heavy rainfall to prepare for epidemics roughly one month in advance.
A weather-based early warning system could give public health officials sufficient lead time to obtain supplies of intravenous immunoglobin, which is the standard treatment for Guillain-Barre, a potential result of Zika infections. The analysis also pinpointed potential risk factors for clustering of Zika cases in Rio de Janeiro’s neighborhoods.Image credit: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
