Assessment of the Relationship between Cerebrospinal Meningitis and Climate Variables in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Joyce Imara Nchom *

Department of Geography, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria.

A. S. Abubakar

Department of Geography, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria.

F. O. Arimoro

Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.

B. Y. Mohammed

Department of Geography, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

This study examines the relationship between Meningitis and weather parameters (air temperature, maximum temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall) in Kaduna state, Nigeria on a weekly basis from 2007–2019. Meningitis data was acquired weekly from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Bureau of Statistics and weather parameters were sourced from daily satellite data set National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). The daily data were aggregated weekly to suit the study. The data were analysed using linear trend and Pearson correlation for relationship. The linear trend results revealed a weekly decline in Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM), wind speed, maximum and air temperature and an increase in relative humidity and rainfall. Generally, results reveal that the most important explanatory weather variables influencing CSM amongst the five (5) are the weekly maximum temperature and air temperature with a positive correlation of 0.768 and 0.773. This study recommends that keen interest be placed on temperature as they play an essential role in the transmission of this disease and most times aggravate the patients' condition.

Keywords: Meningitis, climate, relationship, disease, savanna


How to Cite

Nchom, Joyce Imara, A. S. Abubakar, F. O. Arimoro, and B. Y. Mohammed. 2021. “Assessment of the Relationship Between Cerebrospinal Meningitis and Climate Variables in Kaduna State, Nigeria”. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 11 (4):33-41. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2021/v11i430389.