Climate factors associated with human exposure rate to fox rabies in Alaska, USA, 1995-2008 Open Access

Kim, Bryan Inho (2011)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/bv73c122b?locale=en
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Abstract


Abstract

Climate factors associated with human exposure rate to fox rabies in Alaska,
USA, 1995-2008
By Bryan Kim
Rabies is regarded as endemic among the arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus) and the red fox
( Vulpes vulpes) in northern and western Alaska and this study describes how climate
factors are likely to be associated with cyclic rabies incidence and human exposure rate to
fox rabies based on the ecology of fox species. Based upon study results, there is a
pronounced seasonal trend of reported rabid foxes in Alaska, with a peak in winter.
Reported rabid foxes in northern Alaska appear to have a stronger seasonal effect than
rabid foxes in southern Alaska. Rabid arctic foxes seem to be affected by climate change
to a greater degree than red foxes. In the case of arctic foxes, climate factors from 2
months prior to the reported cases had the most significant effect. The effect of climatic
change may also be associated with the sea ice stability which is the key factor for the
marine food sources of arctic foxes and the variation of sea ice extent may affect arctic
fox population dynamics. In the case of red foxes, seasonality was not found to be
significant across the overall study area.


Climate factors associated with human exposure rate to fox rabies in Alaska,
USA, 1995-2008
By
Bryan Kim
D.V.M., Konkuk University, 2009
Thesis Committee Chair: Kevin Ward, PhD
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the
Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Public Health
in Global Epidemiology
2011

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

  • Introduction 1
  • Materials and Methods 3
  • Results 6
  • Discussion 8
  • References 14
  • Tables 18
  • Figures 23

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