Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41142721›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in public health2025

Impact of temperature and humidity on SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

William Kerobe, Abrahaman Said Msellem, Paul Alikado Sabuni, Farida Iddy Mkassy, Peter Martin Chilipweli, Anthony Kapesa, Benson R Kidenya, Philip Ayieko, Deogratius Bintabara, Eveline T Konje

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

William Kerobe *Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Abrahaman Said Msellem *Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Paul Alikado Sabuni *Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Farida Iddy MkassyDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Peter Martin ChilipweliDepartment of Community Medicine, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Anthony KapesaDepartment of Community Medicine, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Benson R KidenyaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Philip AyiekoDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Deogratius BintabaraDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatics, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Eveline T KonjeDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic remains crucial for understanding the epidemiology of future respiratory infections. Gaining insights into the climatic factors influencing the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 is an important public health issue in the control and prevention of the disease. Hence, this study aimed to assess the association between SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility and both humidity and temperature. Methods: Articles published between December 2019 and August 2024 were identified from PubMed, Africa Journal Online, Science Direct, and Hinari databases following PRISMA guidelines. The focus was on studies that reported transmissibility based on basic reproductive number, specifically correlation coefficients between basic reproductive number and temperature, or humidity, or corresponding regression coefficients, and their standard errors. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist was used to assess the risk of bias. Random effect models were applied. The meta-analysis was done in R version 4.3.0. Results: 9 studies qualified, but 5 were excluded for missing coefficients, leaving 4 for meta-analysis. The study analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between temperature and SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility (r = -0.509, 95% CI: -0.680 to -0.338, Conclusion: Temperature and humidity were negatively associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility; thus, disease transmissibility decreased as temperature or humidity increased. Climatic factors are important considerations for effective disease surveillance and preparedness strategies. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, CRD42025637440.

Indexed as

COVID-19HumidityTemperatureHumansSARS-CoV-2climatic factorsCOVID-19humiditySARS-CoV-2temperaturetransmissibility

Identifiers

PMID41142721
PMCPMC12549670

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.