Roles of Humidity and Temperature in Shaping Influenza Seasonality

2014/05/01 by Anice C. Lowen, John Steel · 2 citations
Mathematics · Medicine · #Atmospheric sciences #Biology #COVID-19 epidemiological studies #Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) #Ecology #Humidity #Infectious disease (medical specialty) #Influenza Virus Research Studies #Meteorology #Relative humidity #Seasonal influenza #Seasonality #Viral Infections and Vectors #Virology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1128/jvi.03544-13

openalex publication_date 2014/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

Experimental studies in guinea pigs demonstrated that influenza virus transmission is strongly modulated by temperature and humidity. A number of epidemiological studies have followed up on these findings and revealed robust associations between influenza incidence in temperate regions and local conditions of humidity and temperature, offering a long-awaited explanation for the wintertime seasonality of influenza in these locales. Despite recent progress, important questions remain as to the mechanism(s) by which humidity and/or temperature affects transmission.

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• The Impact of a Six‐Year Climate Anomaly on the “Spanish Flu” Pandemic and WWI
• Spanish flu [wikipedia]

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