Aim: To test in time salmonellosis data the hypothesis respecting the Moon gravity.
Methods: Daily numbers of admissions at Clinic of Infectology 2005-2006 were processed on significance level alpha = 0.05, after finding out their non-Poisson distribution, by cosinor regression in relation to the cycle new moon--full moon--new moon, lasting in average 29.53 days. In yearly incidence of this disease in Slovakia 1957-2008, presence of 18.6-year periodicity, connected with nutation of Moon axis, was tested.
Results: In agreement with our results 20 years ago, statistically significant 14.76-day rhythm was revealed,with pronounced swings downwards and upwards near full and new moon again. It is matching the cycling of lunar gravity. In the yearly data, statistically significant 18.6-yearly period, roughly reciprocal against the lunisolar gravitation, is apparent. It has been confirmed by cross-linear regression.
Conclusions: This study may testify to a causal relationship between the gravity and the occurrence of salmonellosis. The 18.6-years' cycling could explain the allegedly global phenomenon--steep decrease of incidence since about 2000. Nevertheless, it succeeds to an equally long and steep increase since 1990, corresponding so far to the found periodicity without proving a supposed new trend.The next years will decide whether the decrease will continue in the sense of this trend towards eradication of this disease or repeated increase will occur in the frame of continuing periodicity. Our findings are indirectly supported by the laboratory documentation of increased virulence of Salmonella in microgravity, published from NASA laboratories 10 years ago. Its practical exploitation for protecting the health of crew of cosmic flights is expected (Fig. 4, Ref. 15).