Climate Predictors of the Spatial Distribution of Human Plague Cases in the West Nile Region of Uganda

Katherine MacMillan Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Andrew J. Monaghan Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Titus Apangu Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Kevin S. Griffith Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Paul S. Mead Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Sarah Acayo Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Rogers Acidri Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Sean M. Moore Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Joseph Tendo Mpanga Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Russel E. Enscore Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Kenneth L. Gage Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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Rebecca J. Eisen Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado; Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda

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East Africa has been identified as a region where vector-borne and zoonotic diseases are most likely to emerge or re-emerge and where morbidity and mortality from these diseases is significant. Understanding when and where humans are most likely to be exposed to vector-borne and zoonotic disease agents in this region can aid in targeting limited prevention and control resources. Often, spatial and temporal distributions of vectors and vector-borne disease agents are predictable based on climatic variables. However, because of coarse meteorological observation networks, appropriately scaled and accurate climate data are often lacking for Africa. Here, we use a recently developed 10-year gridded meteorological dataset from the Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting Model to identify climatic variables predictive of the spatial distribution of human plague cases in the West Nile region of Uganda. Our logistic regression model revealed that within high elevation sites (above 1,300 m), plague risk was positively associated with rainfall during the months of February, October, and November and negatively associated with rainfall during the month of June. These findings suggest that areas that receive increased but not continuous rainfall provide ecologically conducive conditions for Yersinia pestis transmission in this region. This study serves as a foundation for similar modeling efforts of other vector-borne and zoonotic disease in regions with sparse observational meteorologic networks.

Author Notes

*Address correspondence to Katherine MacMillan, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3150 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80522. E-mail: iky4@cdc.gov

Financial support: This work was supported in part by funds from the CDC Climate Change Program.

Authors' addresses: Katherine MacMillan, Kevin S. Griffith, Paul S. Mead, Russell E. Enscore, Kenneth L. Gage, and Rebecca J. Eisen, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, E-mail: iky4@cdc.gov. Andrew J. Monaghan and Sean M. Moore, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO. Titus Apangu, Sara Acayo, Rogers Acidri, and Joseph Tendo Mpanga, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.

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