ARS | Publication request: Mapping the Risk of Rift Valley fever re-emergence in Southern Africa using remote sensing data

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 1, 2009
Publication Date: July 13, 2009
Citation: Anyamba, A., Linthicum, K., Small, J., Swanepoel, R., Britch, S.C., Pak, E., Formenty, P., De La Rocque, S. 2009. Mapping the Risk of Rift Valley fever re-emergence in Southern Africa using remote sensing data. Presented at the 2009 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Cape Town, and Africa.

Technical Abstract: Rift Valley fever is a viral disease of animals and humans that occurs throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula. Outbreaks of the disease are episodic and closely linked to climate variability, especially widespread elevated rainfall that facilitates Rift Valley fever virus transmission by vector mosquitoes. Episodic outbreaks of the disease are closely linked to with interannual variability in rainfall associated with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In this study utilize satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index data and rainfall anomalies during the 2007-2008 period to drive an RVF risk model and map areas of likely RVF risk activity over the region. The model outputs are compared against RVF outbreak data. The results indicate that the RVF outbreak during this period was a result of above normal rainfall creating the ideal complex of ecological and habitats for the production of Rift Valley fever mosquito vectors associated with RVF and suggest that value of systematic satellite observations of the land biosphere in developing early warning systems for episodic disease outbreaks.