Browsing by Subject "Weather"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6

Open Access
Comparing actual and perceived causes of fever among community members in a low malaria transmission setting in northern Tanzania.
(Trop Med Int Health, 2013-11) Hertz, Julian T; Munishi, O Michael; Sharp, Joanne P; Reddy, Elizabeth A; Crump, John A
OBJECTIVE: To compare actual and perceived causes of fever in northern Tanzania. METHODS: In a standardised survey, heads of households in 30 wards in Moshi, Tanzania, were asked to identify the most common cause of fever for children and for adults. Responses were compared to data from a local hospital-based fever aetiology study that used standard diagnostic techniques. RESULTS: Of 810 interviewees, the median (range) age was 48 (16, 102) years and 509 (62.8%) were women. Malaria was the most frequently identified cause of fever, cited by 353 (43.6%) and 459 (56.7%) as the most common cause of fever for children and adults, respectively. In contrast, malaria accounted for 8 (2.0%) of adult and 6 (1.3%) of paediatric febrile admissions in the fever aetiology study. Weather was the second most frequently cited cause of fever. Participants who identified a non-biomedical explanation such as weather as the most common cause of fever were more likely to prefer a traditional healer for treatment of febrile adults (OR 2.7, P < 0.001). Bacterial zoonoses were the most common cause of fever among inpatients, but no interviewees identified infections from animal contact as the most common cause of fever for adults; two (0.2%) identified these infections as the most common cause of fever for children. CONCLUSIONS: Malaria is perceived to be a much more common cause of fever than hospital studies indicate, whereas other important diseases are under-appreciated in northern Tanzania. Belief in non-biomedical explanations of fever is common locally and has important public health consequences.
Open Access
Drinking from arboreal water sources by mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata Gray).
(Folia Primatol (Basel), 1978) Glander, KE
Despite occasional trips to the ground and feeding in trees whose canopies touched the river, mantled howling monkeys were never seen to drink from any ground water. Drinking from arboreal cisterns was observed, but only during the wet season (meteorologically the less stressful season but phenologically the more stressful season). The lack of sufficient new leaves during the wet season forced the howlers to ingest more mature leaves which contained significantly less water. To compensate for the lowered amount of water in their food, the monkeys utilized arboreal water cisterns. The cisterns dried up during the dry season, but the howlers maintained their water balance by altering their time of actiivity and selecting a diet comprised largely of succulent new leaves. The effect of plant-produced secondary compounds on drinking also was discussed.
Open Access
Environmental predictors and incubation period of AIDS-associated penicillium marneffei infection in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
(Clin Infect Dis, 2013-05) Bulterys, Philip L; Le, Thuy; Quang, Vo Minh; Nelson, Kenrad E; Lloyd-Smith, James O
BACKGROUND: Penicillium marneffei is an emerging dimorphic mycosis endemic in Southeast Asia, and a leading cause of mortality among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected people in the region. Factors governing the seasonal incidence of P. marneffei infection are unknown, and may yield critical insights into possible reservoirs or modes of acquisition. METHODS: This study included HIV-infected patients presenting with P. marneffei (n = 719) and Cryptococcus neoformans (n = 1598) infection to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 2004 to 2010, and temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, and HIV-related admissions data for the corresponding period. We used multivariate regression modeling to identify factors associated with P. marneffei and C. neoformans admissions. We estimated the P. marneffei incubation period by considering profile likelihoods for different exposure-to-admission delays. RESULTS: We found that P. marneffei admissions were strongly associated with humidity (P < .001), and that precipitation, temperature, and wind did not add explanatory power. Cryptococcus neoformans admissions were not seasonal, and P. marneffei admissions were more common relative to C. neoformans admissions during months of high (≥85%) humidity (odds ratio, 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.01). Maximum likelihood estimation suggested a P. marneffei incubation period of 1 week (95% CI, 0-3 weeks). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that humidity is the most important environmental predictor of P. marneffei admissions, and may drive exposure by facilitating fungal growth or spore release in the environment. In addition, it appears that a high proportion of penicilliosis patients present to the hospital with primary disseminated infection within 3 weeks of exposure.
Open Access
Estimation of in-canopy ammonia sources and sinks in a fertilized Zea mays field.
(Environ Sci Technol, 2010-03-01) Bash, JO; Walker, JT; Katul, GG; Jones, MR; Nemitz, E; Robarg, WP
An analytical model was developed to describe in-canopy vertical distribution of ammonia (NH(3)) sources and sinks and vertical fluxes in a fertilized agricultural setting using measured in-canopy mean NH(3) concentration and wind speed profiles. This model was applied to quantify in-canopy air-surface exchange rates and above-canopy NH(3) fluxes in a fertilized corn (Zea mays) field. Modeled air-canopy NH(3) fluxes agreed well with independent above-canopy flux estimates. Based on the model results, the urea fertilized soil surface was a consistent source of NH(3) one month following the fertilizer application, whereas the vegetation canopy was typically a net NH(3) sink with the lower portion of the canopy being a constant sink. The model results suggested that the canopy was a sink for some 70% of the estimated soil NH(3) emissions. A logical conclusion is that parametrization of within-canopy processes in air quality models are necessary to explore the impact of agricultural field level management practices on regional air quality. Moreover, there are agronomic and environmental benefits to timing liquid fertilizer applications as close to canopy closure as possible. Finally, given the large within-canopy mean NH(3) concentration gradients in such agricultural settings, a discussion about the suitability of the proposed model is also presented.
Open Access
Ice storm-related carbon monoxide poisonings in North Carolina: a reminder.
(Southern medical journal, 2004-11) Ghim, Michael; Severance, Harry W
Severe winter weather, such as ice storms, that results in loss of electrical power, is frequently mentioned as a contributing factor in acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. However, in our literature review, such events are infrequently reported. This article reports on such an event in which more than 200 patients were evaluated and treated at a single facility because of the crippling effects of an ice storm leading to prolonged loss of power and subsequent catastrophes with alternative heating and cooking sources. One hundred seventy-six patients were treated and subsequently released after Emergency Department-based treatment for CO exposure, and three patients were admitted. Eighteen patients were treated with hyperbaric treatments and discharged. Three others left before treatment was completed. Three cases representing varying levels of severity at presentation leading to differing treatment algorithms are discussed to demonstrate a suggested clinical decision pathway in the treatment of unintentional CO poisoning.
Open Access
Physical activity-related and weather-related practices of child care centers from 2 states.
(J Phys Act Health, 2015-02) Ball, Sarah C; Gillman, Matthew W; Mayhew, Meghan; Namenek Brouwer, Rebecca J; Benjamin Neelon, Sara E
BACKGROUND: Young children's physical activity (PA) is influenced by their child care environment. This study assessed PA practices in centers from Massachusetts (MA) and Rhode Island (RI), compared them to best practice recommendations, and assessed differences between states and center profit status. We also assessed weather-related practices. METHODS: Sixty percent of MA and 54% of RI directors returned a survey, for a total of 254. Recommendations were 1) daily outdoor play, 2) providing outdoor play area, 3) limiting fixed play structures, 4) variety of portable play equipment, and 5) providing indoor play area. We fit multivariable linear regression models to examine adjusted associations between state, profit status, PA, and weather-related practices. RESULTS: MA did not differ from RI in meeting PA recommendations (β = 0.03; 0.15, 0.21; P = .72), but MA centers scored higher on weather-related practices (β = 0.47; 0.16, 0.79; P = .004). For-profit centers had lower PA scores compared with nonprofits (β = -0.20; 95% CI: -0.38, -0.02; P = .03), but they did not differ for weather (β = 0.12; -0.19, 0.44; P = .44). CONCLUSIONS: More MA centers allowed children outside in light rain or snow. For-profit centers had more equipment—both fixed and portable. Results from this study may help inform interventions to increase PA in children.