Climatic Factors Affecting Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever Incidence in Southern Thailand

Abstract

!jmullica@wu.ac.th; +66 75 672 005; Fax: +66 75 672 004 This study investigated the climatic factors associated with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) incidence in southern Thailand. The climatic factors comprised rainfall, rainy days, relative humidity and maximum, minimum and mean temperatures. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to explore the primary association between the DHF incidence and all climatic factors. Step-wise regression technique was then used to fit the statistical model. The result indicated that the mean temperature, rainfall and relative humidity were associated with the DHF incidence in the areas bordering on the Andaman Sea, while minimum temperature, rainy days and relative humidity were associated with the DHF incidence on the Gulf of Thailand side of the southern peninsula.