THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC VARIABLES OF PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE ON THE OCCURRENCES OF CHIKUNGUNYA FEVER IN BELÉM, PARÁ, BRAZIL

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of climatic
variables of air temperature and rainfall on the occurrence of Chikungunya
fever (CHIKF). The study was conducted from 2016 to 2018, with application
area in the municipality of Belém (PA). The variables were analyzed
based on descriptive statistics from which mean, standard deviation,
coefficient of variation, median, minimum and maximum were determined.
Normality tests were performed to define by using the parametric or
nonparametric correlation tests. For the variables that presented statistical
significance, the multiple linear regression analysis was performed.
Seasonality was confirmed with higher CHIKF records in the first half of the
year, when the highest rainfall and mildest temperatures in the region are
recorded. Pearson’s correlation identified an association between CHIKF
occurrences and temperature and precipitation variables in 2016, which
presented respectively positive and weak association and negative and weak
association. In Belém, local climatic characteristics favor the maintenance of
Chikungunya fever, however in the study of arboviruses other factors such as
social and environmental factors should be considered.