Respiratory health and eruptions of the Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira volcanoes in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a time-series analysis

Autor: Caroline Michellier, Patrick de Marie Chimusa Katoto, Michèle Dramaix, Benoit Nemery, François Kervyn
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Environmental Health, Vol 19, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2020)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1476-069X
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-00615-9
Popis: Abstract Background Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo are active volcanoes situated close to Goma (North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo). These volcanoes are among the most prolific sources of volcanic SO2 pollution on earth. Objective We investigated the possible spatiotemporal relationships between volcanic degassing represented by eruptive emissions of SO2 that occurred between 2000 and 2010, and the incidence of acute respiratory symptoms (ARS) in populations living in areas up to more than 100 km from the volcanoes. Methodology The total flux of SO2 emitted during eruptions since 2000 and the average spatial distribution of the volcanic plume (2004–2008) were based on publicly available remote sensing data. The monthly numbers of adults and children reporting acute respiratory symptoms were extracted from health data collected routinely by selected local health centres and hospitals between 2000 and 2010. The monthly numbers of persons with ARS recorded during or after eruptions were compared with those recorded before eruptions, using negative binomial regression models allowing the calculation of incidence rate ratios (IRR) and their 95% confidence intervals. We first compared years with and without eruptions and then considered shorter time-windows (months). Results In the investigated area, ARS were the second most frequent cause of medical visits (12.2%, n = 3.2 million cases), after malaria (32.3%, n = 8.4 million cases). SO2 emissions gradually increased 30 to 50 times in 2010 compared to 2002. Taking 1999 as a reference, the IRR for ARS increased three-fold between 2000 [0.9 (0.8, 1.1)] and 2009 [2.8 (2.2, 3.7)]. Although the incidence of ARS appeared to increase after some eruptions, especially in areas close (
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