Association of Melioidosis Incidence with Rainfall and Humidity, Singapore, 2003–2012

Abstract

Soil has been considered the natural reservoir for the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which causes melioidosis. We examined 550 melioidosis cases that occurred during a 10-year period in the highly urbanized city of Singapore, where soil exposure is rare, and found that rainfall and humidity levels were associated with disease incidence.

Keywords

• Burkholderia pseudomallei
• climate
• rainfall
• humidity
• temperature
• melioidosis