Malaria, Geographic information systems

2010 NOV 12 - (VerticalNews.com) -- Current study results from the report, 'Spatiotemporal change and ecological modelling of malaria in Turkey by means of geographic information systems,' have been published. "We described the spatiotemporal change of malaria (Plasmodium vivax) in Turkey over 34 years (1975-2008), and assessed the role of environmental variables in this change. We developed seven 5-year-period raster maps by using geo-referenced malaria case data from the centres of 81 provinces and the kriging method with a spherical variogram model in a geographic information systems (GIS) model," scientists in Tokat, Turkey report.

"We also modelled malaria incidence in GIS by using our average malaria incidence raster map, and complementary spatial database including the raster map layers of 14 environmental variables. We chose linear regression analysis with backward method to investigate relationships among variables and develop a model. The model was run in GIS to obtain a model incidence raster map. We tested the reliability of the model map by residual statistics, and found the model map dependable. Five-year-period maps revealed that the distribution of malaria cases moved from the East Mediterranean region to the Southeast Anatolia region due to changing human activities. The latitude, minimum temperature, distance to seas and elevation variables were found to have significant impacts on malaria," wrote H.M. Dogan and colleagues, Gaziosmanpasa University.

The researchers concluded: "Consequently, the model incidence map established a good background for early warning systems to predict epidemics of malaria following environmental changes."

Dogan and colleagues published their study in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (Spatiotemporal change and ecological modelling of malaria in Turkey by means of geographic information systems. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2010;104(11):726-32).

For more information, contact H.M. Dogan, Gaziosmanpasa University, Soil Department, Tasliciftlik 60240, Tokat, Turkey.

Keywords: City:Tokat, Country:Turkey, Conservation, Ecological, Ecology, Environment, Information Systems, Information Technology, Information and Data Systems.

This article was prepared by Ecology, Environment & Conservation editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Ecology, Environment & Conservation via VerticalNews.com.

by : Yusuf