It has been noted since the era of Hippocrates that weather conditions at a specific location can influence the incidence of various infectious and noninfectious diseases. It has also been implied that variations in weather conditions influence the number of cases of infectious respiratory conditions. Syndromic surveillance was introduced in Athens, Greece, for the first time in July 2002 in the framework of increased preparedness for the Olympic Games of 2004. Our experience showed that the incidence of some syndromes parallels that of diseases surveyed by the mandatory notification system of the Hellenic Center for Diseases Control and Prevention that are known to have a strong seasonal pattern in their incidence e.g. influenza. Influenza incidence peaks at the same time with the “respiratory infection with fever” syndrome during spring. This study aimed at investigating possible relationships between the incidence of the “respiratory infection with fever” syndrome and meteorological parameters.
Objective
This study explores the possible impact of meteorological conditions on the incidence of clinical syndromes with an interest for public health in the basin of Athens, Greece.