Viruses
(Mar 2019)
Low Temperature and Low UV Indexes Correlated with Peaks of Influenza Virus Activity in Northern Europe during 2010–2018
Aleksandr Ianevski,
Eva Zusinaite,
Nastassia Shtaida,
Hannimari Kallio-Kokko,
Miia Valkonen,
Anu Kantele,
Kaidi Telling,
Irja Lutsar,
Pille Letjuka,
Natalja Metelitsa,
Valentyn Oksenych,
Uga Dumpis,
Astra Vitkauskiene,
Kestutis Stašaitis,
Christina Öhrmalm,
Kåre Bondeson,
Anders Bergqvist,
Rebecca J. Cox,
Tanel Tenson,
Andres Merits,
Denis E. Kainov
Affiliations
Aleksandr Ianevski
Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
Eva Zusinaite
Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
Nastassia Shtaida
Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
Hannimari Kallio-Kokko
Department of Virology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Miia Valkonen
Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) and University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
Anu Kantele
Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) and University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
Kaidi Telling
Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
Irja Lutsar
Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
Pille Letjuka
Narva Haigla, 20104 Narva, Estonia
Natalja Metelitsa
Narva Haigla, 20104 Narva, Estonia
Valentyn Oksenych
Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
Uga Dumpis
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, 1067 Riga, Latvia
Astra Vitkauskiene
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Science, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania
Kestutis Stašaitis
Department of Emergency Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania
Christina Öhrmalm
Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, 75309 Uppsala, Sweden
Kåre Bondeson
Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, 75309 Uppsala, Sweden
Anders Bergqvist
Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, 75309 Uppsala, Sweden
Rebecca J. Cox
Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
Tanel Tenson
Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
Andres Merits
Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
Denis E. Kainov
Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v11030207
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11,
no. 3
Abstract
Read online
With the increasing pace of global warming, it is important to understand the role of meteorological factors in influenza virus (IV) epidemics. In this study, we investigated the impact of temperature, UV index, humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation on IV activity in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during 2010–2018. Both correlation and machine learning analyses revealed that low temperature and UV indexes were the most predictive meteorological factors for IV epidemics in Northern Europe. Our in vitro experiments confirmed that low temperature and UV radiation preserved IV infectivity. Associations between these meteorological factors and IV activity could improve surveillance and promote development of accurate predictive models for future influenza outbreaks in the region.
Keywords
WeChat QR code
Close
