The drought could protect southeast Queensland residents against Ross River virus outbreaks this summer, but according to new QUT research coastal areas could still be at risk.

NHMRC Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) Associate Professor Shilu Tong is developing a model to help health authorities plan and prevent Ross River virus outbreaks.

He has looked at the relationship between Ross River virus transmission and climate variables like temperature and rainfall.

Professor Tong accessed data on the number of Ross River virus cases, monthly total rainfall, human population size and mosquito density (the average number of mosquitoes trapped in all monitoring stations per month) between 1998 and 2001.

"We found a strong inter-relationship between changes in temperature and rainfall, the density of mosquito populations and therefore Ross River virus transmission," he said.

"But different geographical areas responded to different variables, for example, Ross River virus transmission was highest with optimal rainfall in inland areas."

He said on the other hand for coastal areas, higher minimum temperatures were a more important factor (than rainfall) in determining the transmission of Ross River fever.

"Continuing dry conditions in southeast Queensland and other inland areas this summer lowers the chances of a Ross River virus outbreak, while coastal areas which typically experience high minimum temperatures are still at risk," he said.

Professor Tong said the findings would help develop early warning systems for the control and prevention of both Ross River virus and other vector-borne diseases.