FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Journal of arthropod-borne diseases2016; 10(3); 315-327;

Impact of Climate and Environmental Factors on West Nile Virus Circulation in Iran.

Abstract: Geographic distribution of West Nile virus (WNV) is heterogeneous in Iran by a high circulation in the southern-western areas. The objective of our study was to determine environmental and climatic factors associated with the risk of WNV equine seropositivity in Iran. Methods: Serological data were obtained from a serosurvey conducted in equine population in 260 districts in Iran. The climate and environmental parameters included in the models were distance to the nearest wetland area, type of stable, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), annual mean temperature, humidity and precipitation. Results: The important risk factors included annual mean temperature, distance to wetlands, local and seasonal NDVI differences. The effect of local NDVI differences in spring was particularly notable. This was a normalized difference of average NDVI between two areas: a 5 km radius area centered on the stable and the 5-10 km surrounding area. Conclusions: The model indicated that local NDVI's contrast during spring is a major risk factor of the transmission of West-Nile virus in Iran. This so-called oasis effect consistent with the seasonal production of vegetation in spring, and is associated to the attractiveness of the local NDVI environment for WNV vectors and hosts.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2016-01-06 PubMed ID: 27308290PubMed Central: PMC4906738
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research focuses on the potential influences of climate and environmental factors on the spread of West Nile virus (WNV) in Iran. The study aims to understand these influences by analyzing serological data from horses across 260 local districts and exploring the role of several variables, from proximity to wetland areas to annual temperature averages.

Methodology

  • The researchers collected serological data from an equine serosurvey conducted across 260 districts in Iran. These serological data allowed the researchers to measure the prevalence of WNV antibodies, thereby indicating WNV exposure in the equine population across the country.
  • The climate and environmental parameters considered in the models included distance to the closest wetland, the type of stable, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) which is a measure of the greenness of vegetation, annual mean temperature, and annual levels of humidity and precipitation.

Results

  • Key risk factors identified through this study included average annual temperature, proximity to wetland areas and local, as well as seasonal fluctuations in NDVI.
  • It was noted that the local springtime NDVI difference was particularly significant. This referred to a normalized difference of average NDVI between two areas: a 5 km radius area centered on the stable, and the 5-10 km surrounding area.

Conclusions

  • The study concludes that the contrast between local NDVIs during spring is a major risk factor in the spread of West Nile virus in Iran.
  • This so-called ‘oasis effect’ is consistent with the seasonal vegetation growth observed in spring, which is associated with the appeal of the local NDVI environment for both vectors and hosts of West Nile virus. This factor could be used to create more effective disease intervention strategies.

Cite This Article

APA
Ahmadnejad F, Otarod V, Fathnia A, Ahmadabadi A, Fallah MH, Zavareh A, Miandehi N, Durand B, Sabatier P. (2016). Impact of Climate and Environmental Factors on West Nile Virus Circulation in Iran. J Arthropod Borne Dis, 10(3), 315-327.

Publication

Journal of arthropod-borne diseases
ISSN: 2322-1984
NlmUniqueID: 101593448
Country: Iran
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 3
Pages: 315-327

Researcher Affiliations

Ahmadnejad, Farzaneh
  • Viral Vaccines Production Department, Pasteur Institute, Tehran, Iran; TIMC-IMAG Team EPSP, VetAgroSup, Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, France.
Otarod, Vahid
  • Quarantine and Biosafety Directorate General, Iran Veterinary Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Fathnia, Amanollah
  • Department of Geography, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
Ahmadabadi, Ali
  • Faculty of Geography, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
Fallah, Mohammad H
  • Department of Poultry Viral Diseases, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Alborz, Iran.
Zavareh, Alireza
  • Viral Vaccines Production Department, Pasteur Institute, Tehran, Iran.
Miandehi, Nargess
  • Viral Vaccines Production Department, Pasteur Institute, Tehran, Iran.
Durand, Benoit
  • University Paris Est, Anses, Laboratory of Animal Health, Epidemiology Unit, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Sabatier, Philippe
  • TIMC-IMAG Team EPSP, VetAgroSup, Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, France.

References

This article includes 45 references
  1. Ahmadnejad F, Otarod V, Fallah MH, Lowenski S, Sedighi-Moghaddam R, Zavareh A, Durand B, Lecollinet S, Sabatier P. Spread of West Nile virus in Iran: a cross-sectional serosurvey in equines, 2008-2009.. Epidemiol Infect 2011 Oct;139(10):1587-93.
    pubmed: 21396143doi: 10.1017/s0950268811000173google scholar: lookup
  2. Alijani B. Climate of Iran. .
  3. Autorino GL, Battisti A, Deubel V, Ferrari G, Forletta R, Giovannini A, Lelli R, Murri S, Scicluna MT. West Nile virus epidemic in horses, Tuscany region, Italy.. Emerg Infect Dis 2002 Dec;8(12):1372-8.
    pmc: PMC2738505pubmed: 12498650doi: 10.3201/eid0812.020234google scholar: lookup
  4. Azari-Hamidian S. Checklist of Iranian mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae).. J Vector Ecol 2007 Dec;32(2):235-42.
    pubmed: 18260513doi: 10.3376/1081-1710(2007)32[235:coimdc]2.0.co;2google scholar: lookup
  5. Bagherzadeh-Karimi M, Rouhani-Rankouhi M. A guide to the Iranian wetlands registered in Ramsar Convention. .
  6. Bian L, Li L, Yan G. Combining global and local estimates for spatial distribution of mosquito larval habitats. GIsci Remote Sens 43( 2): 128– 141.
  7. Bock CE, Jones ZF, Bock JH. The oasis effect: response of birds to exurban development in a southwestern savanna.. Ecol Appl 2008 Jul;18(5):1093-106.
    pubmed: 18686574doi: 10.1890/07-1689.1google scholar: lookup
  8. Bolling BG, Kennedy JH, Zimmerman EG. Seasonal dynamics of four potential West Nile vector species in north-central Texas.. J Vector Ecol 2005 Dec;30(2):186-94.
    pubmed: 16599151
  9. Brown H, Duik-Wasser M, Andreadis T, Fish D. Remotely-sensed vegetation indices identify mosquito clusters of West Nile virus vectors in an urban landscape in the northeastern United States.. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2008 Apr;8(2):197-206.
    pubmed: 18452400doi: 10.1089/vbz.2007.0154google scholar: lookup
  10. Chen CC, Jenkins E, Epp T, Waldner C, Curry PS, Soos C. Climate change and West Nile virus in a highly endemic region of North America.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013 Jul 22;10(7):3052-71.
    pmc: PMC3734476pubmed: 23880729doi: 10.3390/ijerph10073052google scholar: lookup
  11. Dehghan H, Sadraei J, Moosa-Kazemi Sh. The Morphological Variations of Culex pipiens Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Yazd Province, Central Iran.. Iran J Arthropod Borne Dis 2010;4(2):42-9.
    pmc: PMC3385558pubmed: 22808399
  12. Dohm DJ, O'Guinn ML, Turell MJ. Effect of environmental temperature on the ability of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) to transmit West Nile virus.. J Med Entomol 2002 Jan;39(1):221-5.
    pubmed: 11931261doi: 10.1603/0022-2585-39.1.221google scholar: lookup
  13. Epstein PR. Climate change and public health: emerging infectious diseases. Encyclopedia of Energy 1: 381– 392.
  14. Epstein PR, Defiippo C. West Nile virus and drought. Global Change and Human health 2( 2): 105– 107.
  15. Fereidouni SR, Ziegler U, Linke S, Niedrig M, Modirrousta H, Hoffmann B, Groschup MH. West Nile virus monitoring in migrating and resident water birds in Iran: are common coots the main reservoirs of the virus in wetlands?. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2011 Oct;11(10):1377-81.
    pubmed: 21923253doi: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0244google scholar: lookup
  16. Fortes PS, Platonov AE, Pereira LS. GISAREG- A GIS based irrigation scheduling simulation model to suport improved water use. Agr Water Manage 77( 1): 159– 179.
  17. Gibbs SE, Wimberly MC, Madden M, Masour J, Yabsley MJ, Stallknecht DE. Factors affecting the geographic distribution of West Nile virus in Georgia, USA: 2002-2004.. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2006 Spring;6(1):73-82.
    pubmed: 16584329doi: 10.1089/vbz.2006.6.73google scholar: lookup
  18. Greenberg R, Marra PP. Birds of two worlds: the ecology and evolution of migration. .
  19. Gubler DJ, Reiter P, Ebi KL, Yap W, Nasci R, Patz JA. Climate variability and change in the United States: potential impacts on vector- and rodent-borne diseases.. Environ Health Perspect 2001 May;109 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):223-33.
    pmc: PMC1240669pubmed: 11359689doi: 10.1289/ehp.109-1240669google scholar: lookup
  20. Hamer GL, Anderson TK, Donovan DJ, Brawn JD, Krebs BL, Gardner AM, Ruiz MO, Brown WM, Kitron UD, Newman CM, Goldberg TL, Walker ED. Dispersal of adult culex mosquitoes in an urban west nile virus hotspot: a mark-capture study incorporating stable isotope enrichment of natural larval habitats.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014 Mar;8(3):e2768.
    pmc: PMC3967984pubmed: 24676212doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002768google scholar: lookup
  21. Heshmati GA. Vegetation characteristics of four ecological zones of Iran. Int J Plant Prod 2: 215– 224.
  22. Hubálek Z, Halouzka J. West Nile fever--a reemerging mosquito-borne viral disease in Europe.. Emerg Infect Dis 1999 Sep-Oct;5(5):643-50.
    pmc: PMC2627720pubmed: 10511520doi: 10.3201/eid0505.990505google scholar: lookup
  23. Jacob BJ, Gu W, Caamano EX, Novak RJ. Developing operational algorithms using linear and non-linear squares estimation in Python for the identification of Culex pipiens and Culex restuans in a mosquito abatement district (Cook County, Illinois, USA).. Geospat Health 2009 May;3(2):157-76.
    pubmed: 19440960doi: 10.4081/gh.2009.218google scholar: lookup
  24. Jourdain E, Gauthier-Clerc M, Bicout DJ, Sabatier P. Bird migration routes and risk for pathogen dispersion into western Mediterranean wetlands.. Emerg Infect Dis 2007 Mar;13(3):365-72.
    pmc: PMC2725901pubmed: 17552088doi: 10.3201/eid1303.060301google scholar: lookup
  25. Kilpatrick AM, Meola MA, Moudy RM, Kramer LD. Temperature, viral genetics, and the transmission of West Nile virus by Culex pipiens mosquitoes.. PLoS Pathog 2008 Jun 27;4(6):e1000092.
    pmc: PMC2430533pubmed: 18584026doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000092google scholar: lookup
  26. Kinney RM, Huang CY, Whiteman MC, Bowen RA, Langevin SA, Miller BR, Brault AC. Avian virulence and thermostable replication of the North American strain of West Nile virus.. J Gen Virol 2006 Dec;87(Pt 12):3611-3622.
    pubmed: 17098976doi: 10.1099/vir.0.82299-0google scholar: lookup
  27. Marra PP, Griffing S, Caffrey C, Kilpatrick AM, McLean R, Brand C, Saito E, Dupuis AP, Kramer L, Novak R. West Nile virus and wildlife. Bio Science 54( 5): 393– 402.
  28. Murgue B, Murri S, Triki H, Deubel V, Zeller HG. West Nile in the Mediterranean basin: 1950-2000.. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2001 Dec;951:117-26.
    pubmed: 11797769doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb02690.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  29. Patz JA, McGeehin MA, Bernard SM, Ebi KL, Epstein PR, Grambsch A, Gubler DJ, Reither P, Romieu I, Rose JB, Samet JM, Trtanj J. The potential health impacts of climate variability and change for the United States: executive summary of the report of the health sector of the U.S. National Assessment.. Environ Health Perspect 2000 Apr;108(4):367-76.
    pmc: PMC1638004pubmed: 10753097doi: 10.1289/ehp.00108367google scholar: lookup
  30. Pradier S, Sandoz A, Paul MC, Lefebvre G, Tran A, Maingault J, Lecollinet S, Leblond A. Importance of wetlands management for West Nile Virus circulation risk, Camargue, Southern France.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2014 Aug 4;11(8):7740-54.
    pmc: PMC4143830pubmed: 25093652doi: 10.3390/ijerph110807740google scholar: lookup
  31. Reiter P. Climate change and mosquito-borne disease.. Environ Health Perspect 2001 Mar;109 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):141-61.
    pmc: PMC1240549pubmed: 11250812doi: 10.1289/ehp.01109s1141google scholar: lookup
  32. Ruiz MO, Chaves LF, Hamer GL, Sun T, Brown WM, Walker ED, Haramis L, Goldberg TL, Kitron UD. Local impact of temperature and precipitation on West Nile virus infection in Culex species mosquitoes in northeast Illinois, USA.. Parasit Vectors 2010 Mar 19;3(1):19.
    pmc: PMC2856545pubmed: 20302617doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-3-19google scholar: lookup
  33. Ruiz MO, Tedesco C, McTighe TJ, Austin C, Kitron U. Environmental and social determinants of human risk during a West Nile virus outbreak in the greater Chicago area, 2002.. Int J Health Geogr 2004 Apr 20;3(1):8.
    pmc: PMC420251pubmed: 15099399doi: 10.1186/1476-072x-3-8google scholar: lookup
  34. Saidi S TR, Javadian E, Nadim A. The prevalence of human infection with West Nile virus in Iran. Iran J Publ Hlth 5( 1): 8– 13.
  35. Shaman J, Day JF, Stieglitz M. Drought-induced amplification of Saint Louis encephalitis virus, Florida.. Emerg Infect Dis 2002 Jun;8(6):575-80.
    pmc: PMC2738489pubmed: 12023912doi: 10.3201/eid0806.010417google scholar: lookup
  36. Soverow JE, Wellenius GA, Fisman DN, Mittleman MA. Infectious disease in a warming world: how weather influenced West Nile virus in the United States (2001-2005).. Environ Health Perspect 2009 Jul;117(7):1049-52.
    pmc: PMC2717128pubmed: 19654911doi: 10.1289/ehp.0800487google scholar: lookup
  37. Stenseth NC, Mysterud A, Ottersen G, Hurrell JW, Chan KS, Lima M. Ecological effects of climate fluctuations.. Science 2002 Aug 23;297(5585):1292-6.
    pubmed: 12193777doi: 10.1126/science.1071281google scholar: lookup
  38. Stow DA, Hope A, McGuire D, Verbyla D, Gamon J, Huemmrich F, Houston S, Racine C. Remote sensing of vegetation and land-cover change in Arctic Tundra Ecosystems. Remote Sens Environ 89( 3): 281– 308.
  39. HURLBUT HS, RIZK F, TAYLOR RM, WORK TH. A study of the ecology of West Nile virus in Egypt.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1956 Jul;5(4):579-620.
    pubmed: 13354882doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1956.5.579google scholar: lookup
  40. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Conservation of Iranian Wetlands. .
  41. Vatandoost H, Ezeddinloo L, Mahvi A, Abai M, Kia E, Mobedi I. Enhanced tolerance of house mosquito to different insecticides due to agricultural and household pesticides in sewage system of Tehran, Iran. Iran J Environ Health Sci Eng 1( 1): 46– 50.
  42. Venkatesan M, Rasgon JL. Population genetic data suggest a role for mosquito-mediated dispersal of West Nile virus across the western United States.. Mol Ecol 2010 Apr;19(8):1573-84.
    pmc: PMC3253699pubmed: 20298466doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04577.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  43. Wan Norafikah O, Chen CD, Soh HN, Lee HL, Nazni WA, Sofian-Azirun M. Surveillance of Aedes mosquitoes in a university campus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.. Trop Biomed 2009 Aug;26(2):206-15.
    pubmed: 19901907
  44. Ward MP. Equine West Nile virus disease occurrence and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index.. Prev Vet Med 2009 Mar 1;88(3):205-12.
    pubmed: 19054585doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2008.10.003google scholar: lookup
  45. Zaim M, Manouchehri A, Yaghoobi-Ershadi M. Mosquito fauna of Iran 2-Culex. Iran J Publ Health 14: 1– 12.

Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
  1. Mojahed N, Mohammadkhani MA, Mohamadkhani A. Climate Crises and Developing Vector-Borne Diseases: A Narrative Review. Iran J Public Health 2022 Dec;51(12):2664-2673.
    doi: 10.18502/ijph.v51i12.11457pubmed: 36742229google scholar: lookup
  2. Sofia M, Giannakopoulos A, Giantsis IA, Touloudi A, Birtsas P, Papageorgiou K, Athanasakopoulou Z, Chatzopoulos DC, Vrioni G, Galamatis D, Diamantopoulos V, Mpellou S, Petridou E, Kritas SK, Palli M, Georgakopoulos G, Spyrou V, Tsakris A, Chaskopoulou A, Billinis C. West Nile Virus Occurrence and Ecological Niche Modeling in Wild Bird Species and Mosquito Vectors: An Active Surveillance Program in the Peloponnese Region of Greece. Microorganisms 2022 Jun 30;10(7).
    doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10071328pubmed: 35889046google scholar: lookup
  3. Amin M, Zaim M, Edalat H, Basseri HR, Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Rezaei F, Azizi K, Salehi-Vaziri M, Ghane M, Yousefi S, Dabaghmanesh S, Kheirandish S, Najafi ME, Mohammadi J. Seroprevalence Study on West Nile Virus (WNV) Infection, a Hidden Viral Disease in Fars Province, Southern Iran. J Arthropod Borne Dis 2020 Jun;14(2):173-184.
    doi: 10.18502/jad.v14i2.3735pubmed: 33365345google scholar: lookup
  4. Shocket MS, Verwillow AB, Numazu MG, Slamani H, Cohen JM, El Moustaid F, Rohr J, Johnson LR, Mordecai EA. Transmission of West Nile and five other temperate mosquito-borne viruses peaks at temperatures between 23°C and 26°C. Elife 2020 Sep 15;9.
    doi: 10.7554/eLife.58511pubmed: 32930091google scholar: lookup
  5. Amini M, Hanafi-Bojd AA, Asghari S, Chavshin AR. The Potential of West Nile Virus Transmission Regarding the Environmental Factors Using Geographic Information System (GIS), West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. J Arthropod Borne Dis 2019 Mar;13(1):27-38.
    pubmed: 31346533
  6. Ziyaeyan M, Behzadi MA, Leyva-Grado VH, Azizi K, Pouladfar G, Dorzaban H, Ziyaeyan A, Salek S, Jaber Hashemi A, Jamalidoust M. Widespread circulation of West Nile virus, but not Zika virus in southern Iran. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 Dec;12(12):e0007022.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007022pubmed: 30557321google scholar: lookup
  7. Najafi S, Jojani M, Najafi K, Costanzo V, Vicidomini C, Roviello GN. West Nile Virus: Epidemiology, Surveillance, and Prophylaxis with a Comparative Insight from Italy and Iran. Vaccines (Basel) 2026 Jan 3;14(1).
    doi: 10.3390/vaccines14010057pubmed: 41600973google scholar: lookup
  8. Wang HR, Liu T, Gao X, Wang HB, Xiao JH. Impact of climate change on the global circulation of West Nile virus and adaptation responses: a scoping review. Infect Dis Poverty 2024 May 24;13(1):38.
    doi: 10.1186/s40249-024-01207-2pubmed: 38790027google scholar: lookup
  9. Athanasakopoulou Z, Sofia M, Skampardonis V, Giannakopoulos A, Birtsas P, Tsolakos K, Spyrou V, Chatzopoulos DC, Satra M, Diamantopoulos V, Mpellou S, Galamatis D, G Papatsiros V, Billinis C. Indication of West Nile Virus (WNV) Lineage 2 Overwintering among Wild Birds in the Regions of Peloponnese and Western Greece. Vet Sci 2023 Nov 18;10(11).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci10110661pubmed: 37999484google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,780 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.