An
ever-present threat of a major new influenza pandemic of devastating
proportions haunts us, and despite diligent monitoring of circulating viruses
has been impossible to predict. On a more local scale outbreaks of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) in West Africa have posed a serious public health threat because of its high fatality risk.
Research on the environmental factors
underlying both EHF and influenza epidemiology may provide useful insights into
the occurrence of future pandemic outbreaks. This study suggests that sunspot activity in extremum or ± one year was associated with influenza pandemics and severe EHF outbreaks in Africa from 1976 to 2014. Potential mechanisms by which
sunspot activity may influence viral outbreaks are discussed. Current and
future surveillance efforts should be supported to construct a comprehensive
early warning system involving virus monitoring and epidemioilogy on the
ground, sunspot activity as well as stratospheric sampling for forecasting
future pandemics.