Sudden Drops in Temperature Associated with Flu Outbreaks

A new study found that sudden decreases in temperature might influence annual flu epidemics in temperate climates.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, used a multiplex PCR panel to detect respiratory pathogens on 20,062 nasopharyngeal swab samples between October 2010 and July 2013. The results of the swab samples were compared with meteorological data obtained from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute for the same period.
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The findings showed that low temperature and vapor pressure were associated with weekly incidences of influenza A, respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus, bocavirus, and adenovirus. Researchers found a strong association between the seasonal influenza A outbreaks and the weekly decrease of average temperature.

There were no associations between respiratory infections and humidity. In addition, human rhinovirus and enterovirus incidences occurred independently of temperature, which suggests that other routes of infections were more relevant for these viruses than air.

According to the researchers, the dry air and sudden drops in temperature create ideal conditions for influenza and aerosol transmitted respiratory infections to spread. This study supports the theory that pathogens transmitted by air spread more in cold and dry weather, and showed a pattern for flu outbreaks.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Sundell N, Lars-Magnus A, Brittain-Long R, Lindh M, Westin J. A four year seasonal survey of the relationship between outdoor climate and epidemiology of viral respiratory tract infections in a temperate climate [published online October 5, 2016]. J Clin Virol. doi:10.1016/j.jcv.2016.10.005.