Geographical and climatic contributions to melioidosis hotspot formation in Southern Taiwan

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 19; no. 4; p. e0012958
• Main Authors: Chen, Kuang-Yueh, Chen, Kuang-Ying, Ho, Hsin-Ping, Lin, Hsi-Hsun, Hsu, Bing-Mu, Chen, Yao-Shen, Hsu, Duen-Wei, Ren, Chung-Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 10.04.2025; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Aerosols - analysis; Biology and Life Sciences; Botanical research; Burkholderia pseudomallei - isolation & purification; Climate; Disease Hotspot; Disease Outbreaks; Distribution; Earth Sciences; Environmental aspects; Female; Geography; Humans; Incidence; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Melioidosis - epidemiology; Middle Aged; People and Places; Physical Sciences; Physiological aspects; Pseudomonas infections; Rain; Taiwan - epidemiology; Taiwan

Melioidosis outbreaks in Taiwan frequently coincided with severe typhoons. Over a 20-year period, 782 cases of melioidosis were reported, with outbreaks often clustering in a specific hotspot area. We hypothesized that the unique hilly terrain in this hotspot trapped contaminated aerosols generated...