Geospatial web services and applications for infectious disease surveillance

Abstract

Infectious diseases have the ability to expand their geographic range, jump species, become resistant to antimicrobial agents, and have become more virulent and frequent. Increasing concern about infectious diseases has also brought about developments in statistical and predictive models of viral transmission - contributing quantitative indicators of disease and population health worldwide. In this study, many geospatial web services and applications are built for the infectious disease surveillance. It demonstrates that geospatial technologies can support ongoing efforts in disease surveillance and control, public health planning and resource management, identification of high-risk groups, health promotion, prevention of exposures, and reduction in mortalities - with applications that can bridge the policy gap between the global North and South. © 2009 WIT Press.