Philippe Barbazan et al. Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in the Central Plain The Chao Phraya Delta: Historical Development, Dynamics and Challenges of Thailand's Rice Bowl 1 Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in the Central Plain of Thailand. Remote sensing

Abstract: In Thailand, since the first epidemics in 1958, there has been a global upward trend in incidence of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), an acute and severe form of dengue virus infection, which remains a major public health concern. The dengue is due to an arbovirus mainly transmitted by Aedes aegypti, a mosquito living close to human communities. The intensity of the transmission (i.e. number of cases and speed of the spread of the disease) is dependant on the number of vectors, the serotype of the virus, the herd immunity and the environment. In the Central Plain of Thailand despite an apparent very homogenous environment (altitude, climate, type of agriculture) the incidence of DHF exhibits strong variations at the province and sub-province levels. A Geographical Information System using epidemiological data, as well as information about the Land-use, demography, geography, climate has been built to identify indicators likely to help to describe areas and periods at risk for dengue transmission. A particular approach is focusing on the structure of the urban environment, the main field for dengue transmission. Different degrees and types of urbanisation appear to b