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Do environmental factors influence the occurrence of acute meningitis in industrialized countries? An epidemic of varying aetiology in Northern Italy

  • Infectious Diseases
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Abstract

Environmental and atmospheric factors have been associated with meningitis epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa but not in the northern hemisphere. An epidemic of meningitis caused by different agents occurred in a health district in northern Italy during the first quarter of 2003: there were 50 cases compared to the expected number of 19, with an incidence rate ratio of 2.7 (95% C.I. = 1.8–3.8). The epidemic occurred concurrently with unusual atmospheric and environmental conditions, such as low temperature, low humidity and elevated PM10. These conditions may have affected local immunity of the pharynx, increasing host vulnerability to acute meningitis. We propose a cumulative index combining temperature, humidity and pollution (THP index), and we set a threshold beyond which an increased risk of acute meningitis may be predicted.

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Abbreviations

ARPA:

Agenzia Regionale Protezione Ambiente (Regional Environmental Protection Agency)

ASL:

Azienda Sanitaria Locale (Local Health Unit)

C.I.:

Confidence Intervals

PM10:

Particulate Matter with a diameter of less than 10 μm

TEOM:

Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance

TPH:

Temperature Humidity Pollution

URTI:

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

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Acknowledgement

Data about cases of meningitis were collected and recorded by personnel of Brescia Local Health Agency (ASL Brescia). Data on PM10 were obtained from Local Protection Agency (ARPA Brescia). Atmospheric data were obtained from the Istituto Tecnico Agrario Statale “G. Pastori”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Hygiene, Brescia University, Brescia, Italy

    Magoni Michele & Donato Francesco

  2. Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    Matteelli Alberto & Signorini Liana

  3. Chair of Hygiene, Brescia University, Via Cantore 20, 25126, Brescia, Italy

    Magoni Michele

Authors
  1. Magoni Michele
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  2. Matteelli Alberto
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  3. Signorini Liana
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  4. Donato Francesco
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Correspondence to Magoni Michele.

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Michele, M., Alberto, M., Liana, S. et al. Do environmental factors influence the occurrence of acute meningitis in industrialized countries? An epidemic of varying aetiology in Northern Italy. Eur J Epidemiol 21, 465–468 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-006-9013-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-006-9013-1

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