Linkages between Saharan Dust, Climatic Factors, and Suspected Meningitis Cases in Senegal from 2012 to 2017

The harmattan, a dry, northeasterly wind on the West African coast, transports large quantities of Saharan dust over the Sahelian region during the dry season (December-April). During high-dust months, countries along the Sahel are subject to episodic dust events that negatively impact regional air quality and health. Dakar, Senegal, a city of over 3 million people, frequently experiences dust concentrations over 425 microgram per meter cubed which is defined as hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Previous studies have shown that bacterial meningitis outbreaks in Sahelian regions show hyper-endemic to endemic levels during the dry season. However, limited studies have linked Saharan dust and corresponding climatic factors such as temperature or humidity to adverse health outcomes in West Africa. Thus, we explore the correlation between saharan dust, climatic factors, and meningitis outbreaks in Senegal, a country located on the western edge of the meningitis belt. Weekly relationships of PM10 surface observations, aerosol optical depth, climatic factors, and suspected meningitis cases from 2012 to 2017 will be presented. These findings will help determine which environmental factors are driving meningitis outbreaks in Senegal.