An integrated GIS and remote-sensing framework for district-level dengue risk assessment in northern India: development of a spatial Dengue Risk Index and assessment of its spatial concordance with reported incidence

Background

Dengue is an increasingly important vector-borne disease driven by climate variability, urbanization, environmental change, and population growth. Despite its rising burden in northern India, district-level spatial epidemiological frameworks integrating environmental suitability, transmission hazard, and population vulnerability remain limited. This study developed an integrated geographic information system (GIS)- and remote-sensing (RS)-based Dengue Risk Index (DRI) describing long-term spatial susceptibility to dengue in Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, and assessed its spatial concordance with reported dengue incidence.