Satellite Derived Forest Phenology and Its Relation with Nephropathia Epidemica in Belgium

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

José Miguel Barrios³  Willem W. Verstraeten³  Piet Maes⁴  Jan Clement⁴  Jean-Marie Aerts³  Sara Amirpour Haredasht³  Julie Wambacq⁴  Katrien Lagrou¹  Geneviève Ducoffre²  Marc Van Ranst⁴  Daniel Berckmans³ 

[1] Department of Experimental Laboratory Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; E-Mail:;Scientific Institute of Public Health, Epidemiology, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium; E-Mail:;Biosystems Department, M3-BIORES, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 34, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; E-Mails:;Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Hantavirus Reference Center, Rega Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Minderbroederstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; E-Mails:

关键词: nephropathia epidemica;    hantavirus;    forest phenology;    remote sensing;    bank vole;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph7062486

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The connection between nephropathia epidemica (NE) and vegetation dynamics has been emphasized in recent studies. Changing climate has been suggested as a triggering factor of recently observed epidemiologic peaks in reported NE cases. We have investigated whether there is a connection between the NE occurrence pattern in Belgium and specific trends in remotely sensed phenology parameters of broad-leaved forests. The analysis of time series of the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index revealed that changes in forest phenology, considered in literature as an effect of climate change, may affect the mechanics of NE transmission.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2007 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.