The relationship between dysentery and climatic parameters in Iran

Abstract

Climate plays a key role in gastrointestinal diseases by affecting the environmental conditions of disease-transmitting agents through contributing to the quality of water and access to water resources. Moreover, the association between dysentery and climatic factors in Iran as a vulnerable country to climate change has not been clarified yet. The present retrospective cohort study was therefore conducted to investigate the relationship between climatic factors and dysentery in different climate zones of Iran and diverse age groups of men and women using secondary data. The longitudinal data were analyzed using tests of Poisson regression models. The present findings suggested that the average monthly maximum temperature and the number of rainy days are the most significantly correlated with the risk of dysentery in both genders; for instance, increases were observed in the risk of dysentery in women (IRR = 1.35, 95% CI:1.15,1.59, P < 0.001) and men (IRR = 1.18, 95% CI:1.00–1.40, P = 0.042) in the arid-cold climate (Bwk) with an increase in rainfall, and in Women (IRR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.05,1.08, P < 0.001) and men (IRR = 1.05, 95% CI:1.04,1.06, P < 0.001) in the semi-arid cold climate (Bsk) with an increase in the average monthly maximum temperature. Significant correlations were also observed between climate and dysentery in the children and adults aged over 65 years. The results suggest that dysentery is associated with different factors in women and men of different ages. Climatic factors were also found to differently affect the risk of dysentery in different climate zones.