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. 2004 Dec;42(6):517-23.
doi: 10.1080/13693780310001656795.

Distribution of paracoccidioidomycosis: determination of ecologic correlates through spatial analyses

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Distribution of paracoccidioidomycosis: determination of ecologic correlates through spatial analyses

Ligia Barrozo Simões et al. Med Mycol. 2004 Dec.

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is endemic in Latin America and in countries like Brazil it carries a high mortality rate. The fungus' habitat has not been precisely determined. The present study aims to identify ecologic correlates based on PCM distribution in a hyper-endemic area in southeastern Brazil. The Geographic Information System (GIS) and spatial statistics were used to associate environmental attributes, human population density and, PCM distribution. By means of the Pearson r correlation coefficient, the highest statistically significant associations with prevalence density were the percent area (by county) of: basaltic rocks (r=0.63; P <0.0001), Podzolic soils (r= -0.48; P <0.001), Latosol soils (r=0.40; P <0.01), mean annual precipitation between 1500 and 1600 mm (r = 0.46; P < 0.001) and, mean precipitation during the wet season between 940 and 1040 mm (r= -0.44; P <0.01). Soil texture and precipitation analyzed together reached r=0.61 (P <0.000002) for fine-textured soils with annual precipitation above 1400 mm. Environmental correlates indicate that moisture availability plays an important role in PCM distribution.

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